ROCKEFELLER PROMOTES FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR MINE SAFETY TRAINING AND EDUCATION
~Brookwood-Sago Grant Program Included in 2006 MINER Act~
Washington, D.C. – Senator Jay Rockefeller today urged eligible organizations to apply for funding through the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s Brookwood-Sago Grant Program, which was created under the 2006 Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act.
This program, named in honor of both the miners who died tragically at Sago and those who died in the Jim Walter #5 explosion near Brookwood, Alabama, will provide funding for innovative training and education programs for employers and workers on mine safety and health topics.
“The MINER Act, which is a great example of what can happen when Congress works together, goes a long way toward better protecting our miners,” Rockefeller said. “This program is an enormously important component of the reforms we passed. And I encourage any eligible organization to apply so that through improved training and education, we can make even further strides toward greater mine safety across West Virginia.”
In total, MSHA is making $500,000 available for training and training materials, and the amount of each individual grant will be at least $50,000. States and public or private nonprofit organizations, including community-based and faith-based organizations, as well as state or local government-supported higher education institutions, are eligible to apply.
“We need to remain vigilant in our efforts to do what we can to prevent another mining tragedy from occurring,” Rockefeller said. “We’ve strengthened our mine safety standards on both the federal and state levels, but we also need to make sure that all of our miners are prepared for emergency situations – and this grant program is an incredible opportunity for us to reach that goal.”
Grant applications need to be submitted electronically by 4:30 p.m. on August 24, 2007 through www.grants.gov. On the website, applicants should click on Apply for Grants, then Download Application Package and then submit the CFDA Number – 17.603. For further information, those interested may contact Robert Glatter at (202) 693-9570.
