West Virginia Mining Disaster CEO: safety regulators as "silly as global warming"

picture-8-1346574554.jpg
on

From Thinkย Progress:

The death toll from Massey Energyโ€™s Upper Big Branch mine explosion last week has reached a total of 29 miners, the worst coal disaster in 40 years. When the disaster occurred, Massey was contesting millions of dollars in major safety violations levied against the mine. At his Labor Day anti-union rally last year, Massey CEO Don Blankenship attacked the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), claiming it โ€œseeks power over coal miners.โ€ He mocked both โ€œWashington politiciansโ€ and local elected officials who attempt to ensure miner safety, calling their efforts โ€œas silly as globalย warmingโ€:

We also endure a Mine Safety and Health Administration that seeks power over coal miners versus improving their safety and their health. As someone who has overseen the mining of more coal than anyone else in the history of central Appalachia, I know that the safety and health of coal miners is my most important job. I donโ€™t need Washington politicians to tell me that, and neither do you. But I also know โ€” I also know Washington and state politicians have no idea how to improve miner safety. The very idea that they care more about coal miner safety than we do is as silly as global warming.

Watchย it:

ย 

Kevin Grandia is Operations Manager for DeSmogBlog and works for the Vancouver Public Relations company, Hoggan &ย Associates.

picture-8-1346574554.jpg
Kevin is a contributor and strategic adviser to DeSmog. He runs the digital marketing agency Spake Media House. Named a โ€œGreen Heroโ€ by Rolling Stone Magazine and one of the โ€œTop 50 Tweetersโ€ on climate change and environment issues, Kevin has appeared in major news media outlets around the world for his work on digital campaigning. Kevin has been involved in the public policy arena in both the United States and Canada for more than a decade. For five years he was the managing editor of DeSmogBlog.com. In this role, Kevinโ€™s research into the โ€œclimate denial industryโ€ and the right-wing think tank networks was featured in news media articles around the world. He is most well known for his ground-breaking research into David and Charles Kochโ€™s massive financial investments in the Republican and tea partyย networks. Kevin is the first person to be designated a โ€œCertified Expertโ€ on theย political and community organizing platformย NationBuilder. Prior to DeSmog, Kevin worked in various political and government roles. He was Senior Advisor to the Minister of State for Multiculturalism and a Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Asia Pacific, Foreign Affairs for the Government of Canada. Kevin also worked in various roles in the British Columbia provincial government in the Office of the Premier and the Ministry of Health. In 2008 Kevin co-founded a groundbreaking new online election tool called Vote for Environment which was later nominated for a World Summit Award in recognition of the worldโ€™s best e-Content and innovative ICTย applications. Kevin moved to Washington, DC in 2010 where he worked for two years as the Director of Online Strategy for Greenpeace USA and has since returned to his hometown of Vancouver, Canada.

Related Posts

on

Survey data shows almost double the number of people would back restrictions than those who oppose them.

Survey data shows almost double the number of people would back restrictions than those who oppose them.
on

โ€œWe cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.โ€

โ€œWe cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.โ€
Series: MAGA
on

A Zen Buddhist priest's guide to supporting yourself and your community in these testing times.

A Zen Buddhist priest's guide to supporting yourself and your community in these testing times.
on

The Tory leader was hosted by a firm that holds a major contract with one of the worldโ€™s biggest polluters.

The Tory leader was hosted by a firm that holds a major contract with one of the worldโ€™s biggest polluters.