The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration this week gave a $1 million grant to the Department of Environmental Protection to continue its efforts to digitize old mine maps implementing one of several recommendations made to prevent another Quecreek Mine flooding incident.

Nine miners were trapped in the Quecreek Mine in Somerset County in July 2002 after they inadvertently broke through an adjacent water filled mine they thought was hundreds of feet away.

MSHA also presented two other grants to Pennsylvania State University and D’Appolonia Engineering totaling another $1 million for projects to find better techniques of detecting underground mine voids.

David Lauriski, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, also announced his agency was donating the yellow rescue capsule used to rescue the nine miners to the Quecreek Mine Rescue Foundation.

The Foundation is a nonprofit organization formed by Bill and Lori Arnold who own the farm on which the rescue shafts were drilled. The Foundation helps preserves the site and educates the over 100,000 people who have visited the farm since the rescue.

“For the nine men trapped underground for nearly four days, this capsule represented lives saved and prayers answered,” said Lauriski. “It is a testament to the fortitude and hard work of the men and women who never gave up until the last man was freed. I can’t think of a more appropriate location to display this capsule than here at this site.

David Hess, former Secretary of DEP, read a letter from Gov. Mark S. Schweiker to mark the special occasion. It said in part--

“Let me heartily thank Assistant Secretary of Labor Dave Lauriski and the Mine Safety and Health Administration for donating a true piece of history that lifed nine miners out of danger and brought them back to their loved ones. I would also like to commend MSHA for its continued dedication toward improving mine safety by awarding grants that will help Pennsylvania institutions study and develop additional enhancements.

“More than two years have passed since history was made on this small farm in Somerset County, but the Quecreek mine rescue continues to be a source of pride for many Americans. I know this to be true because nearly every day someone stops to ask me about those four incredible days when courage, ingenuity and teamwork came together to create the miracle at Quecreek.”

For more information on supporting the Quecreek Mine Rescue Foundation visit their webpage.

NewsClip: Miners’ Capsule Donated

Grant will help assemble accurate mine maps

MSHA Donates Capsule

DEP Gets Grant For Mine Mapping

10/15/2004