HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 5
(By Delegates Browning, Andes, Armstead, Ashley, Blair,
Carmichael, Ellem, Frederick, Manchin, J. Miller, Overington,
Paxton, Porter, Schadler and Schoen)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the
Office of Miners' Health Safety and Training.
Whereas, The State Office of Miners' Health Safety and Training
and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration are both
responsible for mine safety operating separately and often
duplicate the work of the other agency; and
Whereas, There is a need to eliminate overlapping of agency
efforts in mine safety that wastes time and money when coordination
of the activities could provide for both general inspections of all
mines and targeted inspections unsafe mines all aimed at ensuring
miner safety, operator compliance and better enforcement; and
Whereas, West Virginia's Office of Miners' Health Safety and
Training has hundreds of inspectors, program analysts and technical
experts and the federal government's Mine Safety and Health
Administration employs many highly trained specialists, scientists
and engineers; and
Whereas, It is time for the Legislature to examine these programs and related matters to ensure that West Virginia miners
are as safe and secure in their person as possible while
undertaking mining operations as modern approved mining procedures,
inspections and enforcement can make; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to study the Office of Miners' Health Safety; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2008, on
its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.