The House Energy Committee met this afternoon to discuss SB 687 and HR 13.
SB 687 would eliminate the Board of Miner Training, Education and Certification, the Mine Inspectors’ Examining Board, and the Mine Safety Technology Task Force, and the transfer of duties from those boards and task force to the Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety. It would provide that moneys be paid from special reclamation water trust fund to assure a reliable source of capital and operating expenses for the treatment of discharges from forfeited sites. It would modify modifies notification requirements for pre-blast surveys for surface mining operations and certain other blasting activities, as well as minimum bond requirements related to certain reclamation work.
HR 13 would urge the United States Congress to keep America’s promise to our retired coal miners and widows and to pass the Miners Protection Act as soon as possible and provide the full measure of benefits these retirees were promised and have earned. The resolution passed unanimously out of the Energy Committee and will be reported to the full floor.
