Photo by: Ted Kopas

Coal miners have a special bond, whether they’re in Pennsylvania, Wyoming or China. That’s why the deaths this week in the Sago Mine in West Virginia hit all of us with any connection to coal mining, and especially the Quecreek Mine Rescue, very hard.

The Sago Mine tragedy was further compounded by the “miscommunication” that occurred with the families of the miners and the media when an initial report said miners were alive when, in fact, all but one perished.

In this age of cell phones, Blackberries and 24-hour “instant” news cycles, almost nothing can prepare public officials, families or company representatives for the media crush that happens during a major accident like Sago Mine or Quecreek.

Fortunately during the Quecreek Mine Rescue, Pennsylvania had the right people in the right places, starting at the top with Gov. Schweiker, to take direct responsibility for guiding the rescue and to make sure the families of the miners and then the media got reliable information.

That’s not to say communication problems didn’t happen, they did, but corrections were made immediately because we knew this wasn’t about us looking bad or good, it was about getting loved ones back to their families.

As difficult as it may be to realize now, good will come out of the Sago Mine tragedy that will help prevent another accident and improve our responses to the next one.

Our experience in dealing with events like floods, blizzards, tornadoes, the Three Mile Island Accident in 1979, the Beaver County crash of United Flight 427 in 1994 and Flight 93 in Somerset in 2001 helped prepare staff from the Department of Environmental Protection, other state agencies, county and local emergency responders and volunteers to respond to the Quecreek Mine Accident.

Quecreek had a successful outcome in terms of miners rescued, but it was also a success in terms of lessons learned.

The investigations following the accident resulted in fundamental changes in the way DEP regulates underground coal mining operations, the collection of old mine maps that have provided a treasure trove of new information on the location of abandoned mines, new technologies to allow drilling ahead of mining in small seam coal mines and legislation introduced as Senate Bill 949 (Kasunic-D-Somerset) and House Bill 2229 (Bastian-R-Somerset) to modernize Pennsylvania’s deep mine safety law.

Lessons learned from Quecreek were shared with a variety of professional groups and sister agencies in hopes of improving the preparedness of others.

We have to make sure we follow this same “lessons learned” approach with the Sago Mine Accident.

Now, though, join me in expressing our heartfelt condolences to the families of the miners who died, pray for the recovery of the surviving miner and extend your hand to say “thank you” to each and every person involved in the rescue effort.

-- David E. Hess

Former Secretary

Department of Environmental Protection

NewsClips: Schweiker Says TMI’s Lessons Helped PA at Quecreek

Schweiker Kept Rein on News in Quecreek Rescue

At Quecreek, Schweiker Took Control

Official Recalls Quecreek Media Control

Editorial: Gut-Wrenching Mistake

Local Miner Recounts Quecreek as 13 West Virginia Miners Trapped

Coal Mining Fatalities Drop to Record Low in 2005

Pennsylvania Lends Hand to Help Trapped West Virginia Miners

Session Schedule

The House and Senate return to session on January 23.

On the Hill

· Senate Sets Hearing on Deep Mine Safety Legislation

· Senate Committee Meets on Trib. Strategy, Federal AML Funding, EHB Nominee

· House Committee Sets Meeting on Greenhouse Gas Emissions

· Senate/House Set Tentative Budget Hearing Schedule

· Environmental Synopsis Features Forestry Task Force, Stormwater, MTBE Issues

Other News

· CHEMSWEEP Offers Free, Safe Way to Dispose of Pesticide Products

· New Commercial Manure Hauler/Broker Certification to Take Effect

· Pennsylvania Farm Show Offsets CO2 Through Local Methane Project

· PA Farm Bureau Hosts Alternative Energy Forum at Farm Show

· Renewable Agricultural Energy Council Outlines Projects

· PA Capacity to Produce BioDiesel Could be at 40 Million Gallons by End of 2006

· Water Resources Education Network Grant Applications Due April 3

· EPA Publishes Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans

· DEP Publishes Final TMDLs for 62 Watersheds in 25 Counties

· Fish & Boat Commission Accepting Applications for Boating Facilities Grants

· Susquehanna Smallmouth Bass Symposium January 21

· Invasive Species Program Set for March 15 at Shippensburg University

· Manufactured Soils Conference February 22-23 in State College

· DEP Citizens Advisory Council Publishes Winter Newsletter

· Fish and Boat Commission Looking for Board of Director Candidates

Feature

· Urban Oasis: The Overbrook Environmental Education Center, By Linda Dottor, Community Design Collaborative

Go To: PA Environment Digest Calendar Page

1/6/2006