Which mine disaster led to the passage of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act?

The Farmington mine disaster in 1968 was a significant turning point in coal mine safety legislation in the United States. This tragedy resulted in the deaths of 78 miners due to an explosion at the Farmington No. 9 mine in West Virginia. The scale of the disaster drew national attention to the unsafe conditions prevalent in many coal mines at that time and highlighted the need for improved safety regulations and oversight.

As a direct response to the outrage and concern that followed the Farmington disaster, Congress enacted the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act in 1969. This legislation aimed to establish mandatory health and safety standards for coal mines, significantly improving the protections for miners. The act was a landmark achievement, emphasizing the government's role in ensuring that coal mining environments were safe and health-regulated, addressing ventilation, dust control, and other critical safety measures.

The other incidents, while tragic in their own right, did not have the same immediate legislative impact in terms of federal safety laws as the Farmington disaster did.