The money comes from Beshear’s Workforce Investment Act statewide reserve and will go towards the purchase of equipment as well as the renovation of an existing facility.

While 13 underground operations are currently sending crews to West Virginia to train, all of the region’s mines will now be able to train close to home.

“Mining is critical to the economic wellbeing of western Kentucky, and underground mine fire training is critical to the economic wellbeing of mine companies within the region,” Beshear said.

“This project fills a critical workforce development need for an industry that is a key contributor to the economic vitality of the region.”

The facility will complement a newly reactivated mining technology program at Madisonville Community College, and the planned facility renovations to an existing simulator will be completed as the new program is staffed and implemented.

Once complete, it will be available for use by more than 40 underground mines in western Kentucky as well as southern Illinois and southern Indiana.

“The West Kentucky Workforce Investment Board works hard to increase the training opportunities available in the area through strong partnerships with our community colleges,” WKWIB director Sheila Clark said, noting the board is “very diligent” in its efforts to locate grant opportunities to help the region’s coal companies.

“The training is a good example of the extra costs incurred by local companies to enhance the knowledge base of workers. They have had to spend quite a bit to send trainees across the state or out of state for this essential training. By bringing the training here, it will impact the coal companies and the state positively, a direct return on investment.”

Workforce Investment Act funds, which are federal dollars, are from the US Department of Labor.