House and Senate Democrats Announce Summary of Major Safety Reforms for Mines and Other Dangerous Workplaces

WASHINGTON, D.C. Leading members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives released a summary and discussion draft today of major reforms responding to serious health and safety concerns raised by workers and their families since Massey Energys Upper Big Branch Mine tragedy and other recent workplace accidents.

The reforms would provide stronger oversight to ensure that employers comply with the law, empower workers to speak up about safety concerns and give the Department of Labor the tools it needs to ensure that all workers go home safely at the end of the day.

In mines around the country and in other workplaces as well, worker safety has not been a priority. Bad actors have put profits ahead of people. As a consequence, workers have lost vital protections, suffered significant injuries and, in too many cases, lost their lives, said Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. We are determined to put sharper teeth in our workplace safety laws and to step up federal enforcement. We look forward to working with members on both sides of the aisle to find bipartisan solutions for workers. These policy ideals start that dialogue.

The Upper Big Branch tragedy highlighted significant problems in our nations miner safety laws and need substantial reform. Mine operators who callously and repeatedly put their workers in danger must be held accountable, said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. It is clear that current law does not provide sufficient protections to miners who go underground every day. Today, we take the first step to ensure that the health and safety of workers are put ahead of production and profit.

The House Education and Labor Committee, joined by Sen. Jay Rockefeller and the West Virginia congressional delegation, heard testimony in Beckley, West Virginia from miners and families of those who died in the Upper Big Branch Mine about serious shortcomings in miner protections, including threats and intimidation of miners who brought up safety concerns to their bosses.

Too much hurt and tragedy has touched the lives and families of hard-working coal miners in West Virginia we must pass laws that put a higher priority on safety day in and day out. In the aftermath of the Upper Big Branch mine disaster, Senator Byrd and I worked together to develop new legislative actions to safeguard our miners and that effect will go on, said Senator Rockefeller (D-WV). Even as the investigation of the Upper Big Branch mine continues, we know there are problems we can solve today and we have an obligation to do just that. We must tackle the repeat pattern of violations in our mines, give MSHA the authority it needs to implement reforms, and further empower our miners with the protections they deserve to speak out when they see a safety problem.

This legislationhas been crafted, in large measure, to target and rein in the worst of the worst mine safety violators, while also providing for independent investigations of MSHA,"saidRep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV),who represents the District whereMassey'sUpper Big Branch Mine is located."Ifully intend tokeep working with miners, their families, and coalindustry members to fine tune this billto ensurethat coal miners have safer, healthier workplaces while they continue their vital workproviding for America'senergyneeds."

Members of the House and Senate worked closely with the Department of Labor to ensure that the reforms outlined contained all the tools the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) says it needs to provide sufficient protections to miners and save lives.

We have seen too many accidents over the last few months in workplaces across the country, said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). Between recent mine disasters and similar tragedies in other industries, it has become clear that Congress needs to act to strengthen protections provided by both MSHA and OSHA. Some of the countrys workplace fatalities receive national attention like the explosions at the Tesoro refinery in Washington or Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia but the vast majority get little attention beyond the affected family and friends. Workers everywhere and in every industry deserve to be able to feel confident that while they are working hard and doing their jobs, their employers are doing everything possible to keep them safe.

In addition to strengtheningenforcement provisions, this bill also has strong safeguards to protect workers, including improved whistleblower provisions and penalties for those employers who violate a miners right against retaliation,said Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee. In this tragic year for miners and other workers, the need for such reforms could not be more urgent. This bill will save lives.

Among other provisions, the reforms outlined include:

Making Mines with Serious and Repeated Violations Safe Criteria for pattern of violations sanctions would be revamped to ensure that the nations most dangerous mine operations improve safety dramatically.

Ensuring Irresponsible Operators are Held Accountable Maximum criminal and civil penalties would be increased and operators would be required to pay penalties in a timely manner.

Giving MSHA Better Enforcement Tools MSHA would be given the authority to subpoena documents and testimony. The agency could seek a court order to close a mine when there is a continuing threat to the health and safety of miners. MSHA could require more training of miners in unsafe mines. Increased rock dusting would be required to prevent coal dust explosions.

Protecting Miners Who Speak out on Unsafe Conditions Miners would be granted the right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions. Protections for workers who speak out about unsafe conditions would be strengthened, and miners would not lose pay for safety-related closures. In addition, miners would receive protections so they can speak freely during investigations.

Increasing MSHAs Accountability The legislative outline provides for an independent investigation of the most serious accidents. It would require that mine personnel are well-qualified, and ensure that inspections are comprehensive and well-targeted. Additionally, it requires pre-shift reviews of mine conditions and communication to ensure that appropriate safety information is transmitted.

Guaranteeing Basic Protections in All Other Workplaces To ensure that all workplaces have basic protections, whistleblower protections would be strengthened, criminal and civil penalties would be increased, and hazard abatement would be sped up. In addition, victims of accidents and their family members would be provided greater rights during investigations and enforcement actions.

Tucson Chamber Board supports the proposed Rosemont Copper Mine

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce supports economic development and job growth in the Tucson region. In that spirit, the Chamber supports the proposed Rosemont Mine. Our support is contingent on the anticipated acceptable result of the upcoming Environmental Impact Study (EIS) report and on the presumption that the mine’s construction is lawful.

The Chamber is sensitive to the potential impact this mine may have on the environment. We understand that necessary regulatory safeguards that are in place to ensure these concerns will be addressed and that Rosemont Copper will do whatever is necessary to comply with all such regulations.

The jobs that will be created by the Rosemont Mine are most assuredly needed to sustain the Southern Arizona economy. The ripple effect by Rosemont will have a positive economic impact on large numbers of businesses in our region.

We encourage the Federal government and all other agencies that control the regulatory process to thoroughly and expeditiously complete their analysis in order to begin timely operations.

AUGUSTA PROVIDES ROSEMONT DEIS UPDATE

Vancouver, B.C, May 2, 2010 – Augusta Resource Corporation (TSX/NYSE Amex: AZC) ("Augusta” or "the Company”) announces that in a statement dated April 30, 2010, the Coronado National Forest has delayed the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Rosemont Copper project in Arizona in order to complete an additional plant study and additional groundwater modeling of development plan alternatives.

The Coronado National Forest must complete field surveys for a native plant (Hexalectris revoluta) thought to be partially coincident with one or two of the several alternative proposals for the dry stack tailings area siting on USFS land. The plant has an April-June emergent season, and survey teams are in the field to collect data throughout the season. The Company believes that avoidance of the known plant location is possible with minimal changes to project siting for the one or two potentially affected alternatives.

In addition, DEIS project teams conducting detailed groundwater hydrology studies will complete further calculations on potential impacts and mitigation measures for the alternative facility sites under evaluation in the DEIS. Hydrology experts have undertaken a comprehensive calibration and sensitivity analysis of the complex predictive groundwater models. The groundwater models evaluate potential for impacts of the various alternatives for the Rosemont Copper project. Completion of these studies will allow better comparisons between the alternative siting proposals.

Both studies are expected to be completed this July; a revised DEIS schedule will be available within the next two months. All other work on completing and reviewing the document for publication continues unabated.

Augusta VP Sustainable Development Jamie Sturgess said: "All pertinent issues need to be addressed, and experts are completing these last two studies after delivering almost 100 technical reports over the last three years. As Rosemont nears completion of this EIS process, we are pleased to see ever-growing support from the public and elected officials.”

Company officials agree that this modest delay to the DEIS schedule is necessary to allow the Forest Interdisciplinary Team and its third party contractors to produce a complete and comprehensive evaluation.

Scheduling for final public hearings and comment period will be released with the Notice of Availability of the DEIS.

Volunteers fence off abandoned mines near Havasu

LAKE HAVASU CITY - Using only sweat, muscles, hand tools and a lot of elbow grease, a dozen members of the Havasu 4 Wheelers recently inventoried, fenced and signed several abandoned mines on public lands in the Lake Havasu area including sites in California.

"Abandoned mines are one of the greatest hazards we have on public lands in Arizona," said Bureau of Land Management Lake Havasu Field Manager Ramone McCoy. "There are literally tens of thousands of mines left open in the West. We can't thank the Havasu 4 Wheelers enough for all their hard work making public lands safer."

Fatality Prevention - Rules to Live By

“Rules to Live By” is an initiative to improve the prevention of fatalities in mining. Through a first phase of industry outreach and education followed by enhanced enforcement, the focus will be on 24 frequently cited standards (11 in coal mining and 13 in metal/nonmetal mining) that cause or contribute to fatal accidents in the mining industry in 9 accident categories.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) today announced it has launched a new outreach and enforcement program designed to strengthen efforts to prevent mining fatalities. "Rules to Live By" will spotlight the safety and health standards most frequently cited during fatal accident investigations through outreach efforts with the mining industry and focused enforcement by federal mine inspectors. MSHA formally will kick off the initiative Feb. 11 in Austin, Texas, and Feb. 12 in Charleston, W.Va.

"While the mining community marked a record-low number of mining deaths last year and has seen a significant decline in fatal mining accidents during the past 10 years, too many miners still lose their lives in preventable accidents," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "MSHA and its stakeholders must remain committed to working together toward the ultimate goal of zero mining fatalities."

Over the past several months, MSHA conducted an analysis of the 589 mining fatalities that occurred from 2000 to 2008. The analysis identified the most common conditions and practices that contributed to mining deaths, as well as the most common violations of safety standards and root causes associated with these fatal accidents. As a result of that analysis, the agency identified 11 coal and 13 metal/nonmetal safety and health standards frequently cited in fatal accident investigations and grouped them into nine accident categories: falls from elevation, falls of roof and rib, operating mobile equipment (surface and underground), maintenance, lock and tag out, blocking against motion, and struck-by mobile equipment (surface and underground).

During the nine-year period, the highest number of coal mine fatalities occurred in West Virginia (94), followed by Kentucky (78). The highest number of metal/nonmetal mine fatalities occurred in Nevada (26), followed by Texas (21).

The fatality prevention initiative will roll out in two phases: industry outreach and focused inspections. During the first phase, MSHA will disseminate information detailing the causes of the targeted fatal accidents to every mine operator, labor organization and state training grantee, as well as other stakeholders. The MSHA Web site will provide compliance assistance materials such as engineering suggestions, packages of safety target materials and other information to ensure that mine operators and miners have the necessary resources to address and eliminate workplace hazards.

In mid-March, MSHA will begin focused inspections by paying special attention to violations of the 24 standards and reminding mine inspectors to carefully evaluate gravity and negligence - consistent with the seriousness of the violation - when citing violations of the standards that have tended to cause or contribute to mining fatalities. All mine inspectors will receive online training on inspector laptop applications specific to this initiative, enforcement summaries and inspector tip sheets.

"With the full support of the mining industry, 'Rules to Live By' should make great strides in preventing fatal accidents," said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health.

Rio's new program for rapid construction of deep underground mines

Major miner Rio Tinto is looking at new tunnelling and shaft boring equipment and techniques for underground mining as it expands its ‘Mine of the Future' programme

MSHA to focus on health issues and impoundments in the US

As Attorney Karen Johnston at Jackson Kelly says, “there can be few things as dry as a federal agency’s Congressional Budget Justification but the 85-page document that the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) recently released to justify its FY2011 budget submission to Congress has some interesting information for mine operators. The budget submission reflects the agency’s expected emphasis on health issues and impoundments and references the recently-announced enforcement program for priority standards.