Feds, Mine Owners Want Closed Hearings in Utah Tragedy

The Mine Safety and Health Administration and the owners of the Utah mine where six coal miners and three rescuers were killed in August are fighting the news media's request for open hearings in the investigation.

The federal agency and the owners claim that public access to the process would keep witnesses from being candid and risk confidential business information. MSHA is also balking at a subpoena from the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee for information relating to the tragedy.

The committee, chaired by George Miller (D-Calif.), is holding its own -- open -- hearings. Last week family members of the dead miners tearfully told their stories and pleaded for changes in safety rules to ensure that other families don't suffer.

"Our lives have changed forever," testified Steve Allred, a disabled coal miner whose brother died in the mine. He said the lack of oversight by MSHA and the fact that workers at the mine didn't have a union were factors in the disaster, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.