More data points for the worst president evah file.
Slapping King Coal's Wrist - New York Times
The Bush administration's accommodation of the mining industry — notably by packing the mine safety agencies with pro-management appointees — has produced a marked decline in major fines for negligent companies. A recent data analysis by The Times documented a risky, business-friendly downturn in penalties since 2001. At the same time, nearly half of the announced fines still go uncollected.With a rash of 24 mine deaths so far this year, Congress is considering tougher fines of up to $500,000 for culpable companies. But what good are fines if they are not being forcefully used by the federal agencies supposedly responsible for workers' safety?
You don't really want an answer to that question, do you? Can we spell PR? I can smell it anyway.
Under present practices, fines are rarely levied at the maximum level, and even then companies can negotiate the penalties downward through an industry-friendly appeals process. Fines as low as $60, if collected, amount to jaywalking tickets.Beyond the slump in fines, the administration's record has been distinguished by budget and job cuts in critical mine safety agencies. Lately, there's been a flurry of reform proposals in response to the deaths in the headlines. But an administration that prefers to fill key regulatory positions with mining lobbyists and executives has a long way to go toward miner safety. It should begin with an urgent reversal of its embarrassing record on penalizing flagrantly negligent companies.
I've discussed this point dozens of times on these pages, but one more for good measure: If you put aside discussion of the horrible Iraq debacle and the faux terrorism war, the current assministration's environmental policies are causing irreparable harm to our world, our country, our land, and their policy decisions should not be ignored. Certain things cannot be restored once destroyed.
Tags: environment, /Impeachment
