State Hires More Mine Safety Workers LOUISVILLE (Kentucky Public Radio) -

Kentucky's Governor will hire 34 new mine safety and permit inspectors. Using money from the multi-county coal fund, federal dollars and increased mining permit fees, Steve Beshear will add 15 mine inspectors and rescuers and 19 permit reviewers to the state payroll.

"We've had a serious under-staffing problem in both of those areas and obviously with this economy it's very difficult to find money to do a lot of things," Beshear said.

Beshear says the new hires will expedite safety inspections for small mines and accelerate the approval of state permits.

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