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Utah Oil, Gas and Mining’s Responsibilities in Relation to Mine Safety
 | All of the 24 million tons of Utah’s coal production
comes from underground mines in Carbon, Emery and Sevier counties.
The federal Mine Safety and Health
Administration (MSHA) in the U.S. Department of Labor oversees coalmine worker
safety. http://www.msha.gov |
| Oil Gas and Mining is not charged by statute with
worker safety nor is it staffed or funded to conduct such work.
In Utah, the 2008 Legislature created the Utah office of Coal Mine
Safety within the Labor Commission, with the primary duties to promote
coal mine safety in Utah and to participate with MSHA in an investigation
of a major coal mine accident. The Coal Mine Safety office can
be reached at 435-636-1467. |
| The Division of Oil, Gas and Mining is charged by Utah
statute with overseeing the environmental management of coal mining
operations, and with ensuring the public’s health and safety.
Utah regulates coal mining under an agreement between the Secretary
of the Interior and the Governor. Utah
statute embraces the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA).
In instances where public health and safety issues intersect with
miner safety, OGM interacts with the Mine Safety and Health Administration
and their dozen inspectors based in Utah’s coal mining region of Carbon,
Emery and Sevier Counties. |
| Utah’s public health and safety record is reported
to Congress each year. There
were one off-site impacts to the public in 2007- 2008 reporting period and
two off-site impacts for 2008-2009. Utah
OGM has also reclaimed all known abandoned coal mine openings to safeguard
the recreating public. |
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For Division
Questions - Contact: Jim
Springer, PIO 801-538-5324
OR
Dana Dean, Associate Director, Mining 801-538-5320.
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MSHA in Washington
Telephone:
(202) 693-9521 |
Fax Number:
(202) 693-9558
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Contact/E-Mail Address:
Terry Bentley Bentley.Terry@dol.gov
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Denver – District 9 Telephone:
(303) 231-5458
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Fax Number:
(303) 231-5553
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E-Mail Address:
Allyn Davis Davis.Allyn@dol.gov
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