| OCR Text |
Show Friday, Aug. 31, 2007 StatesmahCampus News Mine collapse leaves utility Mine: Rescuers continuing scrambling for coal in Utah U continued from page 1 Meanwhile, the U.S. Labor Department said an independent review will be conducted of MSHA's handling of the Utah mine disaster. Separately, MSHA announced its mounting search and rescue tab - "whatever it own investigation, led by the man who was in charge of the SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The shutdown takes," he said. review of the Sago mine tragedy in West Virginia, where of the Utah coal mine where a huge collapse IPA's half-ownership also makes it equally 12 people died in January 2006. trapped six men has a major customer scrambling for fuel to keep a power station operating. liable for fatalities. Richard Gates, an MSHA district manager in Alabama, It's not known if any of the six miners sur"We can fill that gap - I wouldn't say easily has been with the agency for 19 years. vived the Aug. 6 cave-in; another collapse killed - from other Utah mines." Reed Seade, general "MSHA's investigation will fully examine all available three rescuers and injured six others trying to manager of Intermountain Power Agency, said evidence to find the cause of the ground failure at Crandall tunnel into the mine on Aug. 16. That halted Thursday. Canyon mine and any violations of safety and health stanthe underground rescue effort, possibly leaving dards," MSHA chief Richard Stickler said in a statement. IPA operates a pair of coal-fired generators the six miners entombed, officials have said. near Delta, Utah, and jointly owns the crippled Six miners have been trapped more than 1,500 feet The biggest expense so far has been the Crandall Canyon mine with Cleveland-based below ground since Aug. 6. It is not known if they are dead drilling in a bid to find the miners more than Murray Energy Corp. or alive. Three rescuers trying to tunnel to the men died 1,500 feet underground. On Thursday, crews The power station also was relying on coal during another collapse Aug. 16. for Salt Lake City-based Boart Longyear Co. from another mine shut down by its finanStickler said the investigation at Crandall Canyon would punched a seventh hole into the mine. The cial partner in the coal belt of central Utah. involve people who have no ties to MSHA's Western disUniversity of South Florida's Institute for Safety trict, which oversees safety at the mine, 120 miles south of Together, both mines provided more than 20 Security Rescue Technology planned to send a percent of IPA's coal and it will have to look Salt Lake City. robotic camera down that hole. elsewhere to maintain its dwindling 3 1/2They include Timothy Watkins, assistant district manmonth stockpile, Searle said. Each drilled hole costs about $600,000, Bob ager in Kentucky who has ventilation and retreat mining Murray, chief of Murray Energy Corp., said IPA wheels power for a consortium of experience; Gary Smith, a supervisor in Pennsylvania who Thursday. Murray corrected a federal regulator has roof-control expertise; and Joseph O'Donnell who is 36 municipal power providers in Utah and who told Utah legislators on Wednesday the California. based in MSHA's district office in Alabama. cost was $1 million a hole. Its stake in the Crandall Canyon mine is Hours after Stickler's announcement, Labor Secretary purely financial. "We don't known anything Elaine Chao said an independent team of mine-safety about coal mining," Searle said. experts will review MSHA's handling of the Crandall \MSeeCOAL,page5 But it will pick up an equal share of the Canyon mine accident. The review will look at MSHA's actions before the collapse and during the subsequent rescue operations. The agency is an arm of the Labor Department. Leading that review will be Joseph Pavlovich of Gray, Ky., a former MSHA district manager and expert on mine [1 continuedfrom page 1 rescue, and Earnest Teaster Jr. of King George, Va., a former MSHA administrator for coal-mine safety. Each has been in charge of three post-accident internal reviews. They have a broad mandate, including a study of all mine plans and inspection records and interviews with MSHA employees. Chao "picked two fine people to lead the review," said Tony Oppegard, a lawyer in Lexington, Ky., who was a senior MSHA official in the Clinton administration and also a mine-safety prosecutor in Kentucky. "The internal reviews that MSHA does, they can be informative and helpful, but it also places a lot of pressure on the people who do the review," Oppegard said. He said Pavlovich and Teaster should have a "no-holdsbarred approach." The United Mine Workers of America, however, said the review would not be independent. The union, which does not represent Crandall Canyon miners, has been very critical of mine executives and MSHA. "A truly independent investigation would be done by people who are from outside the agency with no ties to MSHA or its employees," President Cecil Roberts said in a statement. University of Utah seismologists insist the Crandall Canyon cave-in was violent enough to cause a 3.9 magnitude earthquake. The mine's co-owner, Murray Energy SPENCER W H I P P L E , a junior from Brigham City majoring in deaf education, gave blood on Thursday. Corp., claims a natural earthquake caused the disaster. Battle: Students donate willingly The Red Cross received the donations. A raffle was also held during the blood drive. Prizes included an iPod nano, a gift certificate to Pita Pit and a guitar. ASUSU offers these prizes in hopes that they will entice people t o donate. PATRICK ODEN photo ting 613 donations, more than half its goal. German Ellsworth, vice president of the Service Center, boasted about the drive s great turnout so far. "We're breaking records," he said. On Tuesday alone, 239 units of blood were donated. Ellsworth said the success is not just because of the students. "We've had a really positive response working so well with the Red Cross," he said. "The Red Cross has really stepped it up. They've cancelled other drives to help. I can't imagine it going any better." A raffle is also being held as an incentive to give blood. When students donate, they can enter to win an iPod nano, a guitar or gift certificates to places like Pita Pit and Firehouse Pizzeria along with many other prizes. ASUSU's hope is that these new prizes will boost the number of volunteers and help beat the University of Utah again. Friday is the last day to donate, and more blood is still needed to reach the 1,000-unit goal. For those who want to donate, it is advised that potential donors eat before they give blood and stay hydrated. The drive ends Friday in the Sunburst lounge at 3 p.m. -Hz. w@aggiemail usu.edu Visit our website, utahstatesman.com, for breaking news, polls, podcasts and more photos Students jump into school JAMES STOSICH, left, a sophomore majoring in aviation, didn't need an airplane to fly during USU's annual Day on the Quad, an event welcoming students back to school. Stostch took to the air with the help of a professional trampoline.The band Allred was another of many attractions. Drummer Sheyn Love, John Allred and lead guitarist Dave Hunsaker performed on Wednesday. GIDEON OAKES, TYLER LARSON photos e3 Briefs Campus & Community Canyon recreation area closesfor safety A popular Logan Canyon recreation access is slated to close to the public following the Labor Day weekend. The access, located at milepost 462.2 on U.S. Highway 89, sits approximately one mile east of Stokes Nature Center and just west of Second Dam. The area has long served as a parking spot and launch point for recreational "tubers" on the Logan, Hyde Park, Smithfield Canal. The decision to close the access was made jointly by the Utah Department of Transportation, Utah Highway Patrol, U.S. Forest Service, Cache County, Logan City and the canal company due to increasing safety concerns. "As of now, we have not had a serious injury accident at this location, however, with the amount of traffic, high speeds and limited sight distance, it is only a matter of time before we experience a serious automobile or auto/pedestrian fatality," said UHP Lieutenant Lee Perry. After the Labor Day weekend, UDOT will place "No Parking" signs at the existing access on U.S. Highway 89 and violators will be ticketed by the UHP. Cache County and Logan City plan to host a series of public input forums later this fall to receive comments on the decision and to discuss options on how to maintain limited access to the canal as a recreational feature. Fridayfest '80s Party tonight in the TSC As part of the Week of Welcome, an '80s Party is being held tonight at 9 p.m. The event is free with student id. Dance and party the night away with an '80s DJ, Neil Diamond cover band, food, and tons of people. There is also going to be an '80s fashion show, so come dressed in '80s styles and get a free slap bracelet while supplies last. Early and absentee voting continuing Early voting for the Logan Primary Election is being held at the Logan City Recorder's office, 255 N. Main. Voting began Tuesday and is continuing through Friday, Sept. 7 during regular office hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Any person who is registered to vote may vote before the election date. Absentee voting will begin as soon as ballots are available. Applications may be obtained from the City Recorder. To vote in this municipal election, a person must be a registered voter residing in the City of Logan. Nomineesfor First District Court named The First District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected three nominees for a vacancy in the First District Court. The position will replace Judge Gordon Low who will retire effective August 31, 2007. The First Judicial District is comprised of Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties. The nominees are as follows: Kevin J. Fife, Logan, Olson and Hoggan; Stephen W. Jewell, Logan, self-employed attorney; John K. West, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Legal Defender's Association. A 10-day public comment period will be held before the names are submitted to Gov. Jon M. Huntsman. First District Nominating Commission Chair Gary Anderson is accepting written comments regarding the nominees at Administrative Office of the Courts, P.O. Box 140241, Salt Lake City, UT, 841140241. The deadline for written comments is 5 p.m. on Sept. 6. The commission may request further interviews or an investigation of the nominees after reviewing public comments. After the public comment period, the names will be sent to the Governor who has 30 days to select a candidate. The Governor's nominee is then forwarded to the Senate Confirmation Committee, which reviews the nominee's qualifications and conducts a public hearing and interview session. The Senate Confirmation Committee will forward the final nominee to the Utah State Senate, which has 60 days from the Governor's nomination to confirm the nominee HCompiled from staff and media reports |
