Miners who are the owners and sole operators of their operations are now required to comply with most MSHA regulations just like the mega mines with many employees. This is wrong! The government should have no right to require me to protect myself. If I'm too stupid to do what I deem necessary to run a reasonably safe mine then that's my problem. To comply with the regulations imposed on us is often far too expensive, irrelevant, onerous and just plain silly. If we all band together and get our grievances laid out before the powers that be, maybe we can effect a change. I certainly believe it's worth a try. I hope you do too. Please sign the petition and pass the link to it on to anyone else you know of who would be interested in joining forces. Thanks much and good mining to you all. Kurt Blumberg...small operator in Colorado and Alaska Petition: We, the undersigned, are of the hundreds of sole owner/sole operators of small mine operations in the lower 48 states and Alaska who are struggling under onerous and ill imposed MSHA regulations. MSHA rightfully requires mines with employees to provide a safe and healthy work environment, but it should have no power or authority to force a mine operator working alone to "be safe". There is no other area of work or private life where government has this level of control. For example, OSHA regulations do not apply to the thousands of family farms in this country. As a sole operator of a small furniture restoration buisness I have never had to comply with OSHA regulations. And as a miner I shouldn't have to answer to MSHA either. We, therefore, implore you to bring our grievance to the attention of any and all entities, including MSHA itself, in hopes of having our unique situation addressed and rectified in a timely manner. Thank you for your help. Small miners of America