The Charleston Gazette - Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster

Government to seek stiff sentence for Massey security chief

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:00:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal prosecutors signaled Wednesday that they plan to seek a stiff prison sentence for a former Massey Energy security director convicted of lying to investigators following the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster. U.S. Attorney Booth...

Drug testing bill a distraction, McAteer says

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Earl Ray Tomblins proposal to require drug testing for West Virginias coal miners is "a distraction" from efforts to improve mine safety following the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, a leading safety advocate a...

Despite lack of UBB link, Tomblin focused on miner drug testing

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:00:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Mandatory drug testing for coal miners is the cornerstone of Gov. Earl Ray Tomblins legislative response to the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, but drug use has not been found to have played a role in the April 2010 explosion that kil...

MSHA officials: U.S. coal mine safety is improving

(Vicki Smith) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:22:12 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal regulators said Wednesday the nations coal mines have made huge strides in safety, pointing to a dramatic reduction in the number of accidents and injuries in the nations single ...

Alpha contractor gets 6 months in jail

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:22:29 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- An Alpha Natural Resources contractor was sentenced Thursday to six months in prison after he admitted he lied to federal investigators about training practices at an Alpha mine in McDowell County. Raymond C. Dawson, 57, of Rays...

Lawyer urges industry caution in talking to MSHA

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:22:20 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coal operators should be more cautious about talking to government mine safety investigators to avoid being ensnared in increased criminal prosecutions in the wake of the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, according to the law...

Tomblin offers mixed package of mine safety reforms

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:38:45 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin promised Wednesday night to seek more state mine safety improvements, but his list of proposals fell short of what independent investigators have said is needed to truly reform West Virginias mini...

Families settle all wrongful death claims from Upper Big Branch disaster

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:34:38 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Alpha Natural Resources on Tuesday finalized a deal that resolves the last of the wrongful death claims of the families of the 29 miners who died in the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, lawyers for the families confirmed. The final...

21 U.S. coal miners killed in 2011, MSHA says

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:34:07 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Twenty-one U.S. coal miners died on the job in 2011, the second lowest number in more than a century of record-keeping, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration said Thursday. The lowest number was 18 in 200...

Just what did MSHA do at UBB before the fatal blast.

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:20:28 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Questions are piling up about the failures of federal regulators to prevent the worst U.S. coal-mining disaster in nearly 40 years, but an "internal review" of Department of Labor enforcement at the Upper Big Branch M...

MSHA doesnt know if Massey got UBB methane report

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal mine safety regulators have said they dont know if they ever gave Massey Energy written technical reports that recommended ways to avoid methane problems that have been pinpointed as one of the causes of the Upper Big Branc...

More UBB prosecutions sought

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:12:03 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- House Democrats on Friday urged the Justice Department to bring more criminal charges against mine managers who ran the Upper Big Branch Mine where 29 workers died in an April 2010 ...

Upper Big Branch deal aimed at preventing future disasters

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- More than 20 years ago, the old U.S. Bureau of Mines began promoting a new optical meter that could tell immediately if coal operators had not spread enough crushed limestone through underground tunnels to prevent a disas...

MSHA blocked questions about previous UBB methane incidents

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:04:47 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- U.S. Labor Department officials blocked an independent state team investigating the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster from digging into questions about the federal governments response to earlier incidents where methane leaked from th...

UBB family members want justice, not money

(Kate White) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:57:03 -0500

BEAVER -- Family members of the 29 miners killed in the worst mining disaster in the United States in nearly 40 years say they want justice more than money. "You cant put a dollar amount on my husband. I want to see who is going ...

Report links MSHA failure to UBB blast

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:00:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Six weeks after the Upper Big Branch Mine blew up, someone slipped some papers under Bob Hardmans door at the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administrations district office in Mount Hope. MSHAs Southern West Virginia district m...

UBB deal calls for safety improvements, resolves fines

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:47:09 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal prosecutors this morning announced details of a $200 million deal in which Alpha Natural Resources promises to implement "groundbreaking" safety improvements...

Deaths at UBB entirely preventable, MSHA says

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:02:54 -0500

Editorial Family members want justice, not money

Alpha to pay $200 million in UBB safety deal

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:45:00 -0500

Read updates and more on the Coal Tattoo blog.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Alpha Natural Resources will s...

UBB probe looking at questions about Massey board

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As they wrap up their probe of the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, federal regulators face unanswered questions regarding what Massey Energy board members were told about persistent safety problems at the mine -- and whether serious ex...

MSHA set to release UBB report next week

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:42:25 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal regulators are set to release next week the report of their 20-month investigation into the worst U.S. coal-mining disaster in nearly four decades.

MSHA not catching scofflaw violators, report says

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:15:00 -0500

Read the report : http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va...

Final Sago Mine disaster lawsuits settled

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:18:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Nearly six years after the Sago Mine disaster, the remaining wrongful-death lawsuits filed by families of the miners who died have been resolved, according to court records filed Friday. Lawyers for families of six of the miners filed...

Alpha says Massey site safety slow to improve

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:28:37 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Alpha Natural Resources officials said Thursday its going to take more time for them to clean up poor safety practices at Massey Energy operations it purchased five months ago. Alpha CEO Kevin Crutchfield said his...

Miller concerned about Alpha safety practices

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:49:52 -0400

Watch the speech CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The ranking Democrat on a House committee that oversees workplace safety said Wednesday hes concerned Alpha Natural Resources may be continuing some ...

Ex-Upper Big Branch security director found guilty

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:52:54 -0400

BECKLEY, W.Va. -- Massey Energys security director at the Upper Big Branch Mine was found guilty Wednesday of lying to federal agents and attempting to destroy evidence in the investigation of the April 2010 explosion that killed 29 miners. A 12-p...

Prosecutor says Massey disaster probe far from over

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin promised Thursday that a sprawling criminal investigation of the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster is far from over, and said critics of the probes results to date should not assume the inquiry wont reach h...

Massey security man thought nothing of dumping papers

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:15:44 -0400

BECKLEY, W.Va. -- Prosecutors and defense lawyers will make closing arguments Wednesday in the case of a Massey Energy security director charged with lying to federal agents and destroying documents sought by investigators looking into the worst ...

UMW calls Massey disaster industrial homicide

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:33:21 -0400

Read the report :

UMW to release Upper Big Branch report

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- United Mine Workers safety experts plan to release a report next week on their investigation into the worst U.S. coal-mining disaster in nearly 40 years. UMW officials have scheduled a press conference for Tuesday in Charleston to pu...

Prosecutors drop one charge in Upper Big Branch case

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:09:25 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal prosecutors on Thursday moved to drop one of three felony charges against the security chief at Massey Energys Upper Big Branch Mine, just four days before opening arguments are set to begin Monday. The move leaves sta...

Prosecutors win legal round in Upper Big Branch case

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:26:06 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Prosecutors will be allowed to tell jurors about the Upper Big Branch mine disaster during the trial of a Massey Energy security director charged with lying to investigators and trying to destroy evidence in the disaste...

Former UBB worker gets jail for faking license

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:49:28 -0400

BECKLEY, W.Va. -- A former employee of Massey Energys Upper Big Branch Mine was sentenced Thursday to spend 10 months in jail after he admitted faking a foremans license and lying to investigators looking into the April 2010 explosion that kill...

Alpha, union quarrel over sign at Upper Big Branch

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:44:48 -0400

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- The United Mine Workers of America says a notice the new owners posted at a Raleigh County mine where 29 men died in an explosion last year is a standard industry tactic aimed at discouraging attempts to unionize. The union kn...

Lawmaker presses Alpha for answers on mine safety

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:47:10 -0400

Trial delayed for Massey security director

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:09:18 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Trial has been delayed until late October in the case of the Massey Energy security director charged with lying to federal officials investigating the deaths of 29 miners at Masseys Upper Big Branch Mine. In an order issued Thursd...

MSHA: Massey covered up Upper Big Branch safety hazards

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:47:15 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo: BEAVER, W.Va. -- Massey Energy covered up safety hazards at its Upper Big Branch Mine by pressuring mine foremen and safety examiners not to record m...

Judge says former Massey board may be in contempt of court

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 21:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Former members of Massey Energys board of directors will have to explain why they shouldnt be held in contempt of court for not taking steps to improve the companys safety performance prior to the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster. ...

Alpha CEO: We dont honestly know yet if UBB was preventable

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:22:57 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The chief executive of Alpha Natural Resources said Tuesday he doesnt know if the April 2010 disaster at Massey Energys Upper Big Branch Mine could have been prevented. Alpha President Kevin Crutchfield said that, since buying Mas...

Alpha joins industry opposition to tougher safety rules

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:30:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Coal industry officials on Tuesday roundly criticized two sets of new safety rules proposed by federal regulators following an explosion that killed 29 West Virginia miners last year. The West Virginia Coal Association and Alpha N...

Alpha cited in fatal roof fall

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:59:05 -0400

Read the report CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- In the wake of last weeks buyout of Massey Energy, Alpha Natural Resources was cited in a fatal roof fall that occurred la...

Masseys Inman resumes claim Upper Big Branch blast was natural disaster

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 23:34:23 -0400

Read the report here.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two days after Alpha Natural Resources bought Massey Energy, the former chairman of Masseys board resumed promoting the contention that the deadl...

Massey panel saw need to improve tone and message

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 18:29:56 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A committee of the Massey Energy board of directors concluded late last year that the coal giant needed to change its "tone and message," but not because of any weaknesses in its existing safety practice...

Alpha-Massey buyout approved

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:42:50 -0400

Read more from the Coal Tattoo blog. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Shareholders of Alpha Natural Resources and Massey Energy have approved the $8.5 ...

Courts pave way for Massey deal

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:01:29 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Courts in West Virginia and Delaware on Tuesday paved the way for Alpha Natural Resources to acquire troubled and controversial Massey Energy today, but not before newly unsealed documents raised more questions about the events lea...

Alpha CEO promises great things (Video)

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:18:37 -0400

Read more here and in the Coal Tattoo blog. JULIAN, W.Va. -- Hours after Massey Energy and Alpha Natural Resources shareholders approved...

Massey directors did little to improve safety, documents indicate

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Despite an alarming increase in safety violations at Massey Energys Upper Big Branch Mine, the companys board of directors took no focused steps to improve performance at the operation prior to the April 2010 explosion that killed 2...