Gov. Rendell this week appointed the six members of the Board of Coal Mine Safety created under Pennsylvania’s new Bituminous Mine Safety Law.

The seven-member board consists of three representatives each from the United Mine Workers of America and coal mining companies operating in Pennsylvania’s Bituminous coal fields, and will be chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection.

The Board of Coal Mine Safety is one of the most significant changes to Pennsylvania’s mine safety program under the new mine safety law. The board will have the authority to write regulations to keep pace with new mine safety technology, which is something the department has been unable to do through existing statute even though the commonwealth has regulated underground mine safety since 1877.

A list of Board members is available online.

9/26/2008