Mine Safety Bill Introduced In Charleston

{Charleston, West Virginia}...A bill was introduced Monday at the state Capitol in Charleston aimed at strengthening mine safety laws. House Speaker Rick Thompson, D-Wayne, is the lead sponsor of the bill. Delegate Mike Caputo, D-Marion, a representative for the United Mine Workers of America, strongly supports the bill that would increase penalties for a number of violations at coal mines. Under the bill, operators would face more punishments for giving prior notice of inspectors arriving at a mine, miners reporting unsafe working conditions would be granted more protection and an independent panel would investigate severe mine accidents. The bill would also require mine operators to use methane detectors that would automatically shut down equipment when the gas reaches a certain level in the mine.