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As Mining Deaths Rise, MSHA Gets Acting Head With No Mine Safety Experience
As Mining Deaths Rise, MSHA Gets Acting Head — With No Mine Safety Experience
August 23, 2017
MSHA has joined OSHA with a new Deputy Assistant Secretary as the agency’s highest official until an Assistant Secretary is nominated and confirmed by the Senate. Wayne Palmer, Labor Secretary Acosta’s Chief of Staff since the end of May, was appointed acting assistant secretary for mine safety and health.
The United Mine Workers union isn’t so happy about the new acting head of the agency. According to Politico, UMW President Cecil Roberts was troubled by Palmer’s appointment: “What does he know about float coal dust and its dangers? What does he know about mine inspections and why they are important? What does he know about the need for ventilation, roof control, rock dusting, and a hundred other things that the person in charge of keeping our miners safe and secure needs to know?” Roberts asked in a written statement.
....
I haven’t checked Palmer’s family tree to see where mining appears in his family’s background, but his mining background doesn’t show up in his resume. Prior to joining the Trump administration, Palmer was senior manager of congressional relations at the Center for Presidential Transition. He worked on Capitol Hill as chief of staff to Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), legislative director to former Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio), and he was a pharmaceutical lobbyist. He also ran his own consulting firm, Palmer Public Policy, which “delivered timely and sophisticated policy analysis, legislative forecasting and strategy to nonprofit & business clients—principally the National Association of Manufacturers.”
August 23, 2017
MSHA has joined OSHA with a new Deputy Assistant Secretary as the agency’s highest official until an Assistant Secretary is nominated and confirmed by the Senate. Wayne Palmer, Labor Secretary Acosta’s Chief of Staff since the end of May, was appointed acting assistant secretary for mine safety and health.
The United Mine Workers union isn’t so happy about the new acting head of the agency. According to Politico, UMW President Cecil Roberts was troubled by Palmer’s appointment: “What does he know about float coal dust and its dangers? What does he know about mine inspections and why they are important? What does he know about the need for ventilation, roof control, rock dusting, and a hundred other things that the person in charge of keeping our miners safe and secure needs to know?” Roberts asked in a written statement.
....
I haven’t checked Palmer’s family tree to see where mining appears in his family’s background, but his mining background doesn’t show up in his resume. Prior to joining the Trump administration, Palmer was senior manager of congressional relations at the Center for Presidential Transition. He worked on Capitol Hill as chief of staff to Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), legislative director to former Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio), and he was a pharmaceutical lobbyist. He also ran his own consulting firm, Palmer Public Policy, which “delivered timely and sophisticated policy analysis, legislative forecasting and strategy to nonprofit & business clients—principally the National Association of Manufacturers.”
https://www.linkedin.com/in/waynedpalmer
