Scheduled for February 1-3 at the Charleston Civic Center, the event will comprise sessions on regulatory issues and technical development as well as presentations with both regional and national interest.

Following introductions and an updated overview of the state’s mine safety efforts and health and safety developments, a presentation will be held on the mine safety and enforcement programs of the US Mine Safety and Health Administration by agency district managers as well as MSHA administrator Kevin Stricklin.

Mid-day discussions will focus on the legal perspective of mine safety legislation and a regulatory review by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The Office of Surface Mining will also offer an update on activities, and Jackson Kelly’s Shane Harvey will offer comments on environmental litigation.

Wednesday afternoon, Joy Global and Caterpillar will team up to present the underground and surface applications, respectively, of proximity detection devices. Drill Leader’s Bill Maloney will follow up the talk with a presentation on the Mine Rescue Operation Fund.

Before closing the initial day of the conference, the Department of Environmental Protection will comment on updates from the Division of Mining Reclamation, and Guthrie and Thomas’ Dave Hardy will share “SEC Now Security Exchange Rules” with the always large audience.

The final two presentations will be regarding the Federal Safety and Health Review Commission and “Criminal Liability: Where Are We Now Post UBB & Stover Cases” delivered by Steptoe and Johnson’s Bill Wilmoth.

The schedule for February 2 is just as diverse, and will be kicked off with “Change is Upon Us” by Alpha Natural Resources’ Mark Schuerger. The highlight of the morning will be a visit by state governor Earl Ray Tomblin, who is set to give his “State of the State: West Virginia First” address.

Before breaking for the Mountaineer Guardian Awards luncheon, American Electric Power, West Virginia Senate president Jeff Kesler and the state National Guard’s General Hoyer will provide insight on respective industry updates.

MSHA assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health Joseph Main will be first to the podium in the afternoon, presenting “MSHA 2012: Rules are Rules”, and Alpha Engineering will follow with “Extended Face Mining”. The day will wrap with discussions from Maxum Petroleum on biofuels as well as a mining inventory and reserves overview from consultant Marshall Miller and Associates.

On the final day of the symposium, former state governor and current state senator Joe Manchin will offer a talk on the nation’s Senate activities. That will be followed up by “West Virginia Coal Use” by state Department of Energy representative Jeff Herholdt.

The final discussions will be “Post Mine Land Utilization” by Rachel Lester of the Coalfield Development Office; “Appalachian Research Initiative for Environmental Sciences” by Virginia Tech’s John Craynon; “Obama’s No Job Zone – A Panel Discussion” with the coal associations of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia; and “WV’s Mining and Reclamation Program” by Randy Huffman of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

A vendor area will be open throughout the symposium, with several industry companies exhibiting the latest mining products and services.

Keep watching the North American edition of International Longwall News next week for coverage from the event.