Ohio miners to get state-built training facility; $2 million set aside in capital budget

5/10/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS

ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio — The state’s Department of Natural Resources plans to build a new mine safety training center in eastern Ohio.

The department’s director, James Zehringer, says officials are seeking proposals from community and business leaders for potential locations for the new center.

A capital budget recently passed by the Legislature included $2 million to help build the facility.

The natural resources department says the center will include a simulated underground coal mine, training rooms and space to hold federally required mine safety competitions.

The agency is looking for about 10 to 15 acres of land for the center. Proposals for potential locations must be submitted by July 15. The pitches will be evaluated based on location, accessibility, cost, available utilities and development costs.