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The Technological Path To Mine Safety
by Michael Martinez
Federal and state lawmakers from West Virginia this week called for legislation to mandate technologies for creating a safer working environment in coal mines.
Legislative activity was spurred earlier this month when 12 workers died after an explosion trapped them in a mine in Buckhannon, W.Va. A fire in a Melville, W. Va., mine killed two more miners last week.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin on Monday proposed state legislation that, among other things, calls for equipping miners with wireless tracking devices. The bill also calls for $100,000 fines of mine operators if they fail to contact an emergency hotline within 15 minutes of accidents. The state legislature cleared the measure unanimously eight hours after Manchin proposed it.
"This is not a partisan issue," the Democratic governor said. "This is a West Virginia issue, and I hope it becomes an American issue."
State House Speaker Bob Kiss said it was imperative that lawmakers immediately demand technological upgrades for mining safety. "If we can send people into space," he said, "we can find a way to use cutting-edge technology to reach a point in time in this country's history when people don't have to needlessly die in the mines."
Manchin and members of West Virginia's congressional delegation met with White House chief of staff Andrew Card and labor department officials on Tuesday to urge the federal government to craft legislation to improve mine safety as soon as possible.
On Monday, the Senate Labor, Health, Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee conducted the first congressional hearing on mine safety since the accidents.
At the hearing, West Virginia Democrat Robert Byrd said he believed the tragedies were "entirely preventable." "We owe the families of these deceased and brave men a hard look of what happened and why," he said.
Lawmakers at the hearing pressed David Dye, the head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, on the performance of existing technological infrastructures. Before leaving the hearing early, Dye promised he would urge President Bush to include additional funding for mine-safety technology in the federal budget.
Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin said investing to improve the technology behind the mining industry's communications systems would be critical. He said he was particularly intrigued by wireless tracking devices with text messaging capabilities. "It seems to me this is something that every miner ought to have available," Harkin said.
State Spending On Health IT Expected To Grow
State and local governments are expected to increase their spending on health information technology by $8 billion in the next five years, according to a report released Monday.
A study issued by Input, a company based in Reston, Va., said local government investments in health IT infrastructures will grow by as much as 75 percent by 2010.
"Although this market remains volatile, improvements in the state governments' financial positions have eased pressures politicizing contract decisions," James Krouse, Input's manager of state and local market analysis, said in a release. "This has allowed agencies to be more aggressive with their spending, particularly on the outsourcing of technical applications and systems."
According to the report, the inability of local governments to overcome the depletion of technical workforces and outdated legacy systems will force them to outsource technology services in the health sector. The report also found that coinciding improvements in service delivery and technological applications will further encourage investments in heath IT.
"The loss of seasoned government workers will affect nearly all state and local agencies," Krouse said. "While this will be a significant stimulus for outsourcing contract decisions, ongoing maintenance of outdated legacy systems will provide more definite targets for outsourcing contract opportunities."
In separate news, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt last week announced the creation of a state health IT task force. The group will be headed by state Health and Senior Services Director Julie Epstein and is tasked with submitting reports on the adoption of health IT before September. Blunt also recommended that the legislature allocate $25 million for a health IT trust fund.
N.H., S.C. Target Internet-Based Hunting
Lawmakers in New Hampshire and South Carolina this week pushed bills to ban businesses that let hunters remotely fire guns at animals via computers at home.
The New Hampshire proposal would make it illegal to start Internet hunting businesses and would establish a $10,000 fine to prevent entrepreneurs from doing so. Under the bill, New Hampshire residents could hunt in other states from their computers.
The similar South Carolina measure would ban computer hunting in South Carolina and make it illegal for non-residents to hunt in the state remotely. Those found guilty would be subject to $200 fines or six-month jail sentences.
Thirteen states already have passed statutes against Internet hunting. The issue gained national attention after a Texas man opened a ranch where computer users could fire at animals by accessing remote-control guns online. The ranch also offered to ship the meat to hunters for a fee.
Maryland Veto On Speeding Cameras Overridden
Lawmakers in Maryland this week voted to overturn a veto of legislation authorizing the deployment of automated cameras to catch speeders in Montgomery County.
The underlying transportation bill calls for the installation of cameras on roads in Montgomery County with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less. Drivers spotted by the cameras face $40 fines. The measure also allows Maryland's Motor Vehicle Association to suspend the licenses of drivers who fail to pay tickets issued through the mail.
The Senate on Wednesday also voted to override the veto of a bill calling for the installation of electronic surveillance systems at dumping sites. The General Assembly has overridden 17 vetoes by Gov. Robert Erlich since the session began earlier this month.
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