“As the coal community works to implement the provisions of the MINER Act, NMA is pleased to offer these workshops, which will provide an invaluable opportunity for coal companies to fully explore their new obligations and develop a thorough understanding of how to comply with the act,” association president Kraig Naasz said.

 

The schedule is as follows:

 

August 29 – Jenny Wiley State Park, Prestonburg, Kentucky

September 12 – Hilton Garden Inn Southpointe, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

September 14 – Southwest Virginia Center for Higher Education, Abingdon, Virginia

September 19 – Bevill State Community College, Suminton, Alabama

September 17 – Western Training Center, Helper, Utah

October 3 – Vincennes University, Vincennes, Indiana

 

For the first event on August 29, the speakers and topics will be split into five sections and will run from 9am until 3pm local time. The first will be Emergency Response and Preparedness Plans: Design, Review and Continuing Obligations by Mine Safety and Health Administration district manager Kenny Murray, Office of Mine Safety and Licensing director Johnny Greene and TECO Coal’s Dave Blankenship.

 

Next on the agenda is Mine Rescue: Past, Present and Future, presented by Greene as well as Lone Mountain Processing’s Ronnie Biggerstaff; and Communication, Tracking and Breathing Technology: State-of-the-art, by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health deputy director Jerry Walsh.

 

Wrapping up the Kentucky event will be Civil Penalties: How the changes impact your decision making process, presented by Ed Green of Crowell & Moring; and Mine Safety Technology and Training Commission: Improving mine safety, offered by Mine Safety Technology & Training Commission chairman Dr. Larry Grayson.

 

All of the workshops will follow the topics outlined above, but presenting speakers will vary by location.

 

While all six events invite open attendance, the association encourages early registration.

 

Details and brochures for each are available at www.nma.org/miner_workshops.asp

 

For workshop questions, contact Bruce Watzman at bwatzman@nma.org or Moya Phelleps at mphelleps@nma.org for registration inquiries.