{Frankfort, Kentucky}...At the request of a former state and federal mine-safety official, Kentucky regulators are investigating whether to revoke coal-mining licenses at a Harlan County operation. Lexington attorney Tony Oppegard wrote a letter Friday urging the head of Kentucky's Office of Mine Safety and Licensing, Freddie Lewis, to file charges that would lead to revocation of foremen licenses at K and D Mining Inc.'s Mine No. 17 in Highsplint in Harlan County. On May 16th, federal inspectors found little or no ventilation where miners were working, accumulations of coal dust, a broken methane warning light and fire hazards on a conveyor belt. The mine was shut down for nine days after the surprise inspection. Lewis wrote a letter to Oppegard saying, “If there are any charges we can file, we will take appropriate action. We will not tolerate these types of mining practices and unsafe behaviors in our coal mines.”
