Oct. 25, 2006
 
Rahall Announces Establishment of Mine Safety Technology Consortium
 
From U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall Press Release
 

Rep. Rahall joins, from left, Jeff Clark, Vice President of Sales for State Electric Supply; Byron Davis, US EDA; Clifton Frye, President of Mingo-Logan Coal Company, a subsidiary of Arch Coal; Melba White, mayor of Montgomery; Dr. Beverly Jo Harris, president of WVU Technical and Community College; Dr. Tony Szwiliski, MSTC Project Manager; Bobby Lewis, West Virginia Development Office, at a press conference announcing the establishment of the MSTC, to be housed at WVU Technical and Community College.

Montgomery, WV (HNN) – U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2006, announced the establishment of a statewide Mine Safety Technology Consortium, to be housed at WVU Technical and Community College. The Consortium will be a catalyst to transforming West Virginia coal mining, know-how, skills and capabilities to produce superior coal mine safety and health technology, products and services, including training technologies.
 
The Consortium is one component of a $4 million-dollar project, which is the result of the Congressman's deep concern for mine worker safety and vision for the future. The project is being funded by a $2 million EDA grant, $1 million in state funding and another $1 million in private funds, including $100,000 from Arch Coal and $200,000 from State Electric.
 

Rep. Rahall delivers remarks during a press conference announcing the establishment of a MSTC, to be housed at WVU Technical and Community College.

Project collaborators include the WVU Institute of Technology-Community and Technical College; Marshall University Center for Environmental, Geotechnical & Applied Sciences (CEGAS); Wheeling Jesuit University-National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC); West Virginia High Technology Consortium (WVHTC); Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing (RCBI); and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). The Mine Safety Technology Consortium will be headquartered at the WVU Institute of Technology in Montgomery.