Every state can express legislation that covers aspects of the safety issue affecting specific issues that occurs in their state. The FMSHA is the governing body that sets mine safety regulations for the country. One of the mandatory safety violations occuring at the Sago mine was the lack of a federal mine safety inspector on the premisis requiered by the FMSHA and the Mining Act of 1977 and it's amendment in 1986. In the event of safety issues brought before the FMSHA the federal regulations hold precedent. All states have bodies of regulations pertaining to specific issues that their state may find in unique circumstances. The Feds run the show. In the case of a dispute federal regulations govern the issue. Please don't try to semantically cloud the story. The FMSHA is the responsible body insuring that the safety rules are followed. They have the power to fine and punish violators. You know my post never suggested there were no laison regulatory bodies on the state level; that would be silly. The feds are the responsible governing body. The budget for safety enforcement and the manpower needed to accomplish that was cut by the current administration Thats a fact and this is the result. Why trivialise the issue and try to shift blame? Thats why the Governer of West Virginia is going to the White House to petition the President for enforcement of the safety standards. If the state was responsible for managing mine safety enforcement he would go to the State Capital. On the side I have never seen a president with so many apologists for his incompetence. Whenever the Federal Government screws up the Bush fans run out to find a scapegoat. It's shamefull. He should be a man and accept his failures. The buck stops there; in the words of a real president. Stop apologising for his incompetence and lack of concern for the citizenry.