Show MSHA the money

The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration will get a funding boost from the new 2009 financial year budget bill that just passed Congress.

Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., was — as always — instrumental in obtaining the increased funding for federal efforts to protect the health and safety of coal miners.

The legislation in question is called the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 (or H.R. 1105). It covers the 2008-2009 federal budget year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2008 to Sept. 30, 2009. Yes, I know. We’re half-way through that year now … so why is Congress just passing the budget? Well, lawmakers seem to have problems getting budgets done on time, no matter which party is in the majority. But that’s another story.

Anyway, Byrd’s press office reports that the new bill funds MSHA at a level of $347 million, which is $15 million above the FY 2008 enacted level, and $15 million above the amount President Bush requested for this year. The additional funding will cover hiring inspectors, specialists and support staff; implementation of the MINER Act; 100-percent compliance with statutory mandates (such as quarterly underground mine inspections, maybe?); salaries on bonuses to recruit and retain personnel; enforcement of employer-provided safety training and mine rescue contests.

Last year, of course, the Bush administration’s MSHA chief, Richard Stickler, tried to hide a proposed cut in the agency’s budget by declaring that it was actually an increase. Instead of comparing the Bush proposal for 2008 to the amount Congress actually appropriated, Stickler and then-Labor Secretary Elaine Chao tried to convince reporters the proper comparison was with what the president had proposed for the previous year.

Bush repeatedly slashed MSHA’s budget and inspection force, leaving the agency’s Southern West Virginia district unable to complete its required inspections of underground mines. Both the Labor Department’s Inspector General and the group OMB Watch (See chart above) have outlined this problem, as did an independent review of the agency’s performance at the Crandall Canyon disaster.

Commenting on the new budget, Byrd said:

As the foster son of an impoverished coal miner, I have always looked out for the miners in the field. said Byrd. “We must do all that we can to ensure that these miners have the tools and safety mechanisms in place to return home to their loved ones each and every night.

Through my efforts, we have made progress in hiring additional enforcement personnel and providing needed resources to MSHA to implement the mandates in the MINER Act. And we continue to provide resources to address the health concerns from black lung disease and provide research funding to increase mine safety. These efforts are not only necessary they are a moral responsibility as long as I represent the people of the Mountain State.

Also in the bill:

– $50 million for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which is about $12.9 million above President Bush’s budget request. This funding will accelerate research related to disaster prevention, dust control and monitoring, roof control, technology transfer, and training programs, and also be used to ensure applied engineering applications.

– $7.2 million for black lung clinics. This funding level is $1.2 million over the Bush proposal.

– $2 million above Bush’s request for MSHA to enforce coal dust rules through increased spot inspections.

– $1.8 million for the United Mine Workers of America Career Centers in Beckley, W.Va., and Washington, Pa., for mine rescue team training.

– $1 million above the Bush request of $10 million for MSHA’s approval and certification center in order to purchase new equipment and improve infrastructure.

– $2 million above the Bush request for the MSHA academy in Beckley for online training programs and infrastructure improvements.

Just to be clear, the new Obama administration has not yet released the fine details — such as a line item for MSHA — of its first budget proposal, which would cover the 2009-2010 financial year that starts on Oct. 1, 2009.

Once we see that detail, we’ll have a better idea if Obama is going to make the safety and health of coal miners a priority. We’ll know even more once the president gets around to appointing an assistant labor secretary to run MSHA.