Upper Big Branch

Convicted Former Mine Boss Demands New Trial

AP | VICKI SMITH | Posted 05.22.2012

Read More: Video, Hughie Stover, Hughie Elbert Stover Upper Big Branch, Hughie Stover Trial, Ubb Disaster, Upper Big Branch Trial, Upper Big Branch, Hughie Elbert Stover, West Virginia Mine Disaster, Coal, Upper Big Branch Disaster, Upper Big Branch Security Chief, Green News

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — A former security chief convicted of lying to investigators after the 2010 explosion that killed 29 men at the Upper Big Br...

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Independent Safety Panel Created As Part Of Mine Disaster Settlement

AP | JOHN RABY | Posted 05.14.2012

Read More: Coal Safety, Video, Alpha Foundation for the Improvement of Mine Safety and Health, Michael Karmis, Alpha Natural Resources Settlement, Alpha Natural Resources, Upper Big Branch, Coal Safety Research, Coal, David Wegman Mine Safety, David Wegman, Upper Big Branch Disaster, Keith Heasley, Green News

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Three experts on mine and workplace safety and health were named Monday to research ways to make U.S. coal mines safer as p...

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Mine Disaster Survivors 'Can't Move Forward'

AP | VICKI SMITH | Posted 04.10.2012

Read More: Video, Alpha Natural Resources Upper Big Branch, Alpha Natural Resources West Virginia, Massey Energy Mine, Alpha Natural Resources, Ryan Powers West Virginia, Upper Big Branch, West Virginia Mine Disaster, Ap, Green News

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Nine men who survived West Virginia's Upper Big Branch mine disaster want to abandon mediation of their personal injury cla...

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Coal Mine Sealed After Deadly Blast

AP | VICKI SMITH | Posted 04.06.2012

Read More: West Virginia Coal, Massey Energy, Video, West Virginia Coal Mine, Alpha Natural Resources, Coal Mine Sealed, Upper Big Branch Sealed, Upper Big Branch, Ap, Green News

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — The West Virginia coal mine where an explosion killed 29 men two years ago Thursday will be permanently sealed with concret...

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Dying for Work

Leo W. Gerard | Posted 05.12.2012

Every day, 12 workers die on the job in America -- often because a corporation has defied regulations or ignored standard safety procedures. Many more die prematurely from work exposure to toxic materials.

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Officials Issue 253 Violations In Coal Mine Disaster Probe

AP | VICKI SMITH | Posted 04.24.2012

Read More: Massey Energy, Office of Miners' Health, Video, Coal Mine Report, West Virginia Mine, Upper Big Branch, W. Va Mine, Safety and Training, Coal Mine, West Virginia Mine Safety Officials, Upper Big Branch Disaster, Ap, West Virginia Mine Report, Green News

BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia mine safety officials issued 253 violations in their investigation of the Upper Big Branch disaster and targeted...

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Feds Cite Chronic Safety Failures In Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster

HuffingtonPost.com | Dave Jamieson | Posted 08.29.2011

Read More: Energy, Upper Big Branch West Virginia, Massey Energy, West Virginia Coal, West Virginia Mine, Big Coal, Massey, West Virginia, Department of Labor, Upper Big Branch, Coal, Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, Msha, Hilda Solis, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Upper Big Branch Mine, Green News

WASHINGTON -- The federal agency tasked with overseeing mine safety released on Wednesday its preliminary findings on the Upper Big Branch Mine disast...

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Feds To Brief Families Of Mine Disaster Victims On Latest Findings

AP | Posted 08.28.2011

Read More: Mine Disaster Investigation, Upper Big Branch, West Virginia Mine Disaster Briefing, West Virginia Mine Disaster Investigation, West Virginia Mine Disaster, Upper Big Branch Investigation, Mine Disaster Families, Upper Big Branch Briefing, Green News

BEAVER, W.Va. -- Federal investigators are preparing to release their latest findings about the Upper Big Branch mine explosion to the families of the...

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Upper Big Branch Mine Memorial Gets Big Donation From Coal Group

HuffingtonPost.com | Paige Lavender | Posted 08.20.2011

Read More: Massey Energy, Upper Big Branch Memorial, Alpha Natural Resources, Mining Memorial, Massey Energy Company, Upper Big Branch, Upper-Big-Branch-Explosion, Coal Mining, Upper Big Branch Mine, Upper Big Branch Disaster, Green News

WASHINGTON -- Alpha Natural Resources, the energy company that purchased problem-ridden Massey Energy Company after the 2010 Upper Big Branch (UBB) mi...

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Massey Energy: Groups Call On Beau Biden To Revoke Coal Company's Corporate Charter

HuffingtonPost.com | Lucia Graves | Posted 08.09.2011

Read More: Coal Miners, Coal Mine Disaster, Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, Beau Biden, Massey Energy, Bobby Inman, West Virginia, Upper Big Branch, Mine Explosion, Massey Energy Mining Violations, Joe Manchin, West Virginia Mine Disaster, Green News

WASHINGTON -- Two public interest organizations are calling on Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden to revoke the corporate charter of Massey Energy i...

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Black Lung Blockbuster: Democracy Now Interview with Upper Big Branch Investigator on New Report (VIDEO)

Jeff Biggers | Posted 07.23.2011

Read More: Dirty Coal, US Sen. Joe Manchin, Clean Coal, J. David McAteer, Amy Goodman, Coal Mine, Coal, Upper Big Branch, Democracy Now, Green News

In an in-depth interview, independent Upper Big Branch coal mine disaster investigator J. Davitt McAteer discussed his new report on Massey Energy's "systematic failure to comply with the law" on numerous levels.

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West Virginia Mine Disaster: One Year Later, Safety Overhaul Stalled

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 06.04.2011

Read More: Upper Big Branch, Watchdog Blog, Thewatchdog, Mine Safety, Mine Anniversary, Upper Big Branch Disaster, Mine Disaster, Green News

NEW YORK -- A year after the worst coal mining accident in decades took the lives of 29 workers, prompting urgent calls to revamp oversight of one of ...

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In a Democracy, Freedom of Assembly Trumps "Free Enterprise"

Leo W. Gerard | Posted 05.25.2011

It's illegal in America to buy or sell a human being, but a recorded conversation between a Republican governor and a guy he thought was a billionaire shows that it's still possible to own a politician.

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Massey Rejects Feds Findings On Mine Explosion

AP | VICKI SMITH | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Massey Rejects Findings, Massey Energy, Massey Coal Mine, Massey Investigation, West Virginia Mine Disaster, Massey MSHA, MSHA Massey, Upper Big Branch, Massey Rejects Feds, Massey Rejects Msha, Green News

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Massey Energy Co. on Friday rejected nearly every part of the federal government's theory on what caused the deadly explosio...

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Coal Dust Propagated Upper Big Branch Explosion: MSHA

Ellen Smith | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Msha, Upper Big Branch Explosion, West Virginia Mine Explosion, Massey Energy, Massey, Upper Big Branch, West Virginia Mine Disaster, Massey Disaster, Upper Big Branch Disaster, Green News

The fatal April 5 explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine started with a frictional ignition on the longwall face involving as little at 13 cubic feet of methane that would not normally be expected to cause such devastation.

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Cave In: How Industry And Inattention Killed Mine Safety Bill

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Mining Disasters, Massey Energy, Mine Safety Act, Upper Big Branch, Mine Safety, Mine Safety Bill, George Miller Mine Safety, Upper Big Branch Mine, West Virginia Mine Disaster, Green News

"Every mine law ever wrote has been written in blood, but this time even that wasn't enough" - Fred Burgess, whose stepson died in the Upper Big Branc...

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Six Months After Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, Republicans Still Obstructing Progress

Jake Blumgart | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Massey Energy, Don Blankenship, Republican Obstructionism, Cry Wolf, Big Business, Mike Enzi, Mine Safety, Mine Explosion, Worker Safety, Upper Big Branch, Politics News

If the Republicans and their industry allies are successful in sinking the Byrd Act, another option for worker safety reform won't present itself again soon, or at least until the next mine explodes.

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Officials Find Signs of Excessive Coal Dust in Mine That Exploded

Ellen Smith | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Massey Energy Company, Massey Energy, Upper Big Branch, Upper Big Branch Coal Mine, Upper Big Branch Mine, Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, Green News

Federal investigators searching for the cause of the April 5 Upper Big Branch Mine disaster have collected evidence suggesting that the mine owner, Massey Energy, failed to adequately control coal dust.

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Doomed West Virginia Miners Warned Of Coal Dust

AP | TIM HUBER | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Upper Big Branch, Upper Big Branch Mine, Massey, Massey Energy, Massey Coal Mine, Coal Mining, Coal Mine, West Virginia, West Virginia Coal Mine, Green News

JULIAN, W.Va. — About the time Michael Elswick was wrapping up work deep inside the Upper Big Branch mine, he phoned a colleague on the surface ...

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Doomed West Virginia Mine Slated To REOPEN Despite Ongoing Investigations

AP | TIM HUBER | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Massey Energy, West Virginia, Upper Big Branch Coal Mine, Upper Big Branch, West Virginia Mine Disaster, Upper Big Branch Construction, Massey, Massey Coal Mine, West Virginia Mine Explosion, Don Blankenship, Upper Big Branch Reopening, West Virginia Coal Mine, Blankenship, Green News, Upper Big Branch Mine, Green News

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Massey Energy plans to resume extracting coal by constructing a new entrance to its Upper Big Branch mine within months, des...

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Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster: Justice Department Investigating Massey For 'Willful Criminal Activity'

AP | SAM HANANEL | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: West Virginia Doj, DOJ Massey, Massey Energy, Massey Coal Mine, West Virginia Mine Explosion, Massey Energy Company, Upper Big Branch, West Virginia Mine Disaster, Justice Department Massey, Upper Big Branch Mine, Green News

WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors said Friday they are investigating whether there was "willful criminal activity" by the company that operates t...

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Upper Big Branch Disaster: Concern About Intimidation By Massey Prompts Mine Safety Investigators To Solicit Anonymous Tips

HuffingtonPost.com | Dan Froomkin | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Massey Intimidation, Massey Energy, Massey, Blankenship, Mine Investigation, Msha, Upper Big Branch, Upper Big Branch Disaster, Mine Disaster, Green News

Alarmed by reports that Massey Energy officials are intimidating miners and their families, the Department of Labor announced today that it is launchi...

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Mine Disaster Company Sues Mine Safety Regulator For Allegedly Violating Its Constitutional Rights

Wall Street Journal | KRIS MAHER | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Massey Explosion, Massey Energy, Massey Coal Mine, Massey, Green News, Upper Big Branch, Massey Lawsuit, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Massey Sues, Upper Big Branch Mine, Green News

Massey Energy Co. sued the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration and three of its officials Tuesday, arguing that the agency wouldn't approve ...

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The F Word: Coal Company Shopping Spree

Laura Flanders | Posted 05.25.2011

Until we see some serious structural changes in the coal industry, it is going to continue doing what it has been doing: trading death for profit.

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Safety Violations At Massey Mines Skyrocket: 130 In Week Since Accident

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Safety Violations at Mines, Obama Mine Safety, Massey Energy, Msha, Mine Safety, Upper Big Branch, Massey Energy Violations, West Virginia Mine Disaster, Green News

In the week since the nation's worst mine disaster in decades took the lives of 29 miners at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, the number of...

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