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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Former Aracoma Inspector: Massey Fought, Violated Ventilation Rules

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Thursday, June 10, 2010   

CHARLESTON, WV - Since the accident that killed 29 miners in April, Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship has publicly accused the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) of forcing the company to use unsafe ventilation systems. But, according to the federal mine inspector at the Massey mine where two men died in 2006, that wasn't the problem there.

Minness Justice retired two years after the Aracoma accident. He says he had fought to have what he called 'ridiculously inadequate ventilation' at the mine fixed, but he claims Massey had clout with higher-ups that foiled his push.

"They would take their helicopter and land at Mount Hope and go in and see the district manager for ventilation concerns. Now, most people don't have that privilege. You don't go in and see your distict manager first, and he calls ventilation people in."

Investigators at Aracoma found that Massey had broken its own ventilation plan by removing required controls. The company had used the practice of bringing fresh air in along the belt that carries coal out, according to the investigation. Justice calls that dangerous, and he says no matter how good the ventilation plan - called a map - it's useless if the mine's operator doesn't follow it.

"You can have an up-to-date map and it can be accurate, but if management fails to follow it and to do what they're supposed to do on the map, it's really management's responsibility."

Justice describes how Massey officials would fight when stronger safety measures were discussed.

"Chief electricians who threw their hats and stomped. I had a superintendent at one of the mines that I shut down kick filing cabinets over, bust windows out, kick the back door off of the change trailer. They try to intimidate you, basically, is what it is."

No one from Massey would comment in an interview. By e-mail, a Massey spokesman wrote that the company used the system to contest violations, and "it's not surprising that a former MSHA representative is defensive of their actions." Last year, the company pleaded guilty to ten criminal charges related to the Aracoma accident.




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