[Hoot Gibson]

Spadaro and his teammates had been uncovering information that had far-reaching implications for both Massey Energy (the parent company of Martin County Coal and a major contributor to the Republican Party) and the coal industry as a whole. Testimony and documents revealed that executives at Martin County Coal and federal regulators were aware that there was potential for a catastrophic failure at the slurry impoundment but didn't take proper actions to avoid it. In particular, an MSHA engineer had made a list of specific safety recommendations to Martin County Coal and MSHA district officials following a 100-million gallon spill in May 1994. But MSHA and Martin not only largely ignored the recommendations, MSHA actually allowed Martin to add coal waste to its impoundment.

They knew of The risk. And Yet Couldnt Care less for what could have happened. They could have made another pond. If the thing was a hazard with a 100 million gallons kinda pushing it with 300 million gallons dont you think.

You are quoting a disgruntled former employee and providing no specifics. MSHA does not make suggestions when it believes that there is an "imminent danger." Specifically, what did Massey do to cause the inundation of the old mine works with coal slurry? Do you know for a fact that another location was available to Massey in the area that had not been previously deep mined, on which it could have build another impoundment?

Sound engineering is based on good science but it is not 100 percent fool proof. Do you understand that the alternative for Massey to continue operating the refuse impoundment was to fire all of its employees at the coal preparation plant and cancel its contracts? Obviously, you anti-coal people could not care less about the employees and families that depend on mining for a livelihood but the people affected do care.

What makes you believe that Massey could not care less about what happened? Is your theory that Massey knew that they were going to cause a disastrous slurry spill that cost the company millions of dollars to clean up, yet continued to mine. Why would a company do so to their own detriment?

You and your left wing friends are so busy spouting all of the environmental extremists' talking points that you are not thinking rationally. It is reasonable to question Massey's judgment in this case but demonizing the company and suggesting that they knew what would happen but continued to operate makes no sense whatsoever. Had Massey believed that there was a high probability that it was going to suffer the large financial loss and public relations nightmare, it would have wasted no time shutting down the operation.