Mine Operators Contest Violations, Clog Court System

Mine company operators are avoiding more stringent enforcement of safety and health related measures by vigorously challenging citations in a federal appeals court process. Currently, 32 mine have contested 46,822 violations, which could mean as much as $93 million in fines for mine operators. Massey Energy, the operator of the mine in West Virginia where 25 miners were killed last week, has been cited for violations at a rate 11 times above the national average for mines. Yet the mine continues to operate as the logjam in the appeals process delays resolution: penalties cannot be imposed while health and safety issues continue to mount. (4/10) Washington Post