Coal Mine Safety Back in the News

A few days ago, I wrote about the Lick Branch coal mine disasters that claimed a total of 116 lives. Today, we see, via the Houston Chronicle, that things haven't changed all that much in the year since the Sago mine disaster:

There are still no rescue chambers or wireless tracking and communications equipment in the country's 606 underground coal mines, and it's unlikely there will be until federal requirements kick in more than two years from now. Hundreds of emergency air packs that are to be stored underground — though currently required by law — are on backorder and will take months to deliver.

As long as the bush administration continues sucking up to big business at the expense of the working man, things aren't going to change.

And people will continue to die needlessly.