Durbin said the recent fatalities at US mines and the attention those events have brought to mine safety had increased the need for the Bill.
“Safety violations often result in injuries that cost miners their health, livelihood or lives,” he said.
The Mine Safety, Enforcement, Reporting and Training Act of 2006 includes the following:
An increase for minimum safety violation fines from $US60 to $US500;
A stipulation that would require cited coal mine operators to pay fines up-front;
Submission of an annual fine payment report, available to the public; and
An increase in annual education and training funding availability to $20 million, double the current amount.
“Safety inspectors have advised me that the fines need to be tougher when a company violates our safety laws and that we need to put more resources into training inspectors,” Durbin said.
“We have more than 3500 miners in Illinois. We owe it to them and to their families to ensure all 25 mines in operation in Illinois are being held to the highest standards of safety.”
According to federal records, he said, only 155 fines considered the “maximum level” were given between 1996 and 2005, and a majority of the fines last year were $100 or less.
“Hopefully raising the minimum fine from $60 to $500 will prompt companies to get serious about making safety improvements,” Durbin said.
Regarding public fine reports and up-front collection, he said the changes would increase the percentage of fines satisfied with payment, as more than half issued since 2001 remain outstanding.
“A public report card of fine payments gives us the chance to grade these companies – and make necessary changes before we have another tragic accident on our hands.”
Durbin said a steady decline in the grant monies the state has received has also caused financial distress with the state’s Office of Mines and Minerals, which utilises funds that have steadily dropped from $274,000 to $209,000 over 10 years.
“Not only is OMM unable to purchase new equipment as old equipment wears out, but the agency is having trouble purchasing modern mine rescue training equipment,” Durbin said.
The senator said he has initiated communication with state and federal officials asking for a review of safety statistics for mining operations nationwide. Additionally, he worked with government colleagues to co-sponsor the Mine Safety Relief Act of 2006 earlier this year, legislation that has already been given the green light at the Senate level as an amendment to the Tax Reconciliation Act.
If approved at the House, he said, it would provide tax credits and incentives to encourage coal companies to invest in mine safety equipment and training.
