The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration has cited three Kentucky mines for safety violations. They were among 14 nationwide with a history of compliance problems targeted in MSHA's special impact inspections.
The mines cited were the Cheyenne Mining Company's Number 11 mine in Pike County, D&C Mining Corporation's mine in Harlan County and North Fork Coal Corporation's Mine Number 4 in Letcher County. Together they received a total of 45 orders and citations.
MSHA began the special impact inspections after the explosion last year at the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia killed twenty-nine miners. Since then, the agency says it's conducted nearly 300 impact inspections, which have resulted in more than 5,000 citations.