{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398636", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 10.17.16", "2016-10-17", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Limestone, Granite, and Coal, Oh Mine!Last week, I highlighted manufacturing in the Ninth District, one of the ways a nation builds wealth.\u00a0 Mining is another way to build wealth, and across the District there are a variety of mined commodities.\r\nThere is a long history of mining in our region, which has provided employment, economic growth, and a way of life. \u00a0In the Ninth District, in addition to coal, there are active mining permits for a variety of substances including stone such as granite, quartzite, lime, limestone, and sandstone, clay and shale, sand and gravel, salt, as well as natural gas, according to data provided by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy (DMME), as of April 2016.\u00a0\r\nVirginia has an interesting and unique geological history, particularly in Southwest Virginia.\u00a0 Over time, geological events have left opportunities for us to mine and develop these rocks into much needed resources.\r\nThe stone in Southwest Virginia, granite, quartzite, limestone, and sandstone, are critical for the construction industry.\u00a0 Often times crushed and mechanically broken into smaller pieces, it is critical for road construction and used as fill in concrete and asphalt.\u00a0 There is sand mined in Southwest Virginia, which is utilized by the construction industry as well.\u00a0 As you may expect, when the nation\u2019s construction is in recession or boom, demand for these substances increases and decreases accordingly.\u00a0\r\nThe limestone mined in Southwest Virginia is often used as dust which is applied to the roof, walls, and floor of active coal mines for safety purposes.\u00a0\u00a0 This prevents explosions and helps with visibility.\u00a0 The limestone is also used to make cement.\u00a0 Additionally, clay and shale, mined in several Ninth District counties, are utilized to make cement, or used in pipes and bricks.\u00a0\r\nLime has many uses in the chemical industry, serving as filler or a neutralizing component, based on its reliable quality and low cost.\u00a0 In Giles County, the Lhoist company lists lime uses in a variety of products such as leather, wine, paint, soap, citric acid, anti-freeze, biodiesel fuels and more.\r\nAnother mineral available for mining in Southwest Virginia is salt.\u00a0 In the city of Saltville, according to town records, salt has been produced continuously since the 1780s, and an active mine exists today.\r\nSouthwest Virginia also provides opportunities for mining natural gas, mostly coal bed methane, extracted from coal beds.\u00a0 Conventional gas, produced from shale, limestone, and sandstone can be mined as well.\u00a0 I am supportive of ongoing research and determination of the benefits and risks, safety requirements, and citizens\u2019 feedback of potential developments in their area.\r\nFor many families in Southwest Virginia, coal mining has been a way of life for generations.\u00a0 According to the Virginia DMME, in the mid-1700s the discovery of coal was first recorded in the region and it was reported that Montgomery and Pulaski County were home to small-scale mining locations as early as 1782.\r\nIn recent years, during President Obama\u2019s administration, regulations have crippled the coal industry, just as he promised.\u00a0 As we continue the fight to reduce and eliminate overreaching regulations, new techniques, technological advances, and safety improvements will help the coal industry recover.\u00a0 Coal remains the cheapest source of energy for Americans, and will continue to provide jobs in our region.\r\nAs the future of energy production and mining in the United States evolves, opportunities remain abundant in Southwest Virginia.\u00a0 The Ninth District is home to one of our nation\u2019s top mining and minerals engineering programs at Virginia Tech.\u00a0\r\nThere are two internationally recognized research centers - the\u00a0Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research\u00a0and the\u00a0Center for Advanced Separation Technologies, that are part of their program.\u00a0 According to Virginia Tech, research opportunities include GPS applications, tomography, real-time geologic mapping, environmental engineering, clean coal technologies and mineral processing.\u00a0 Furthermore, the program reports in the last four years, undergraduate enrollment has grown by over 40%, and the number of students pursuing an M.S. or Ph.D. has increased by over 60%.\r\nAs we look towards the future, we must also acknowledge those who performed the thankless work of keeping our lights on, especially those facing health issues such as Black Lung, and those whose employers have gone through bankruptcy.\u00a0 This weekend, after touring a mine in Buchanan County, I took part in a roundtable to discuss the concerns of these individuals.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Protecting the jobs, health, and welfare of all miners in Southwest Virginia is a priority.\r\nThe mining industry is a cornerstone of Southwest Virginia, and an investment into our economic future.\u00a0\r\nIf you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office.\u00a0 You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398636"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9231376461684704, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}