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The Alabama Mining Association (AMA) on Thursday announced the winners of the yearly AMA Safety and Sustainability Awards.
This year’s winners were honored at the association’s second annual Safety and Sustainability Awards Dinner on November 15th at The Club in Birmingham.
AMA’s goal with the awards is to highlight examples of successful safety and sustainability initiatives in the mining industry and to publicly recognize the companies and individuals that made them possible.
The awards were presented to the winners by some of this year’s judges, including Lance LeFleur, Director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management; Tim Gothard, Executive Director of the Alabama Wildlife Federation; Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; and Samuel Pierce, retired Eastern District Manager for the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Award winners were as follows:
Exceptional Reclamation Award
Alabama Land Resources, Inc.
Reclamation of North River Mine
Exceptional Safety and Training Initiative Award
Nelson Brothers
Fleet Modernization Initiative
Land Stewardship Award
Warrior Met Coal
Mine 7 Plant Dry Slurry System – Phase I Project.
Lifetime Commitment to Stewardship Award
C.W. McGehee, Founder and President of McGehee Engineering Corp.
Lifetime Dedication to Safety and Training Award
Ken Russell, (retired) Director of Workforce Solutions at Bevill State Community College
Mitigation Excellence Award
Westervelt Company
Big Sandy Mitigation Bank – Phase 1 / Phase 2
Outstanding Safety and Training Leadership Award
Randy Clements, Safety Manager at Drummond Company’s ABC Coke
Wildlife Conservation Award
Drummond Company
Segco Mine and Permanent Wildlife Management Area project
President’s Community Safety Award
Nelson Brothers
Development of the Institute of Makers of Explosives Safety Analysis for Risk
President’s Commitment to Community Award
Martin Marietta
Champion of Safety Award
Harold “JR” Gunter
Gregory Upton
Descriptions for each award can be found here.
During the dinner, AMA presented the Alabama Fire College with an award thanking its leadership for supporting mine safety by hosting the state’s first-ever Surface Mine First Responder Competition. Peabody’s Shoal Creek Prep Plant was also honored for receiving the National Mining Association’s Sentinels of Safety award for its exceptional safety record.
“We were thrilled to present these awards to well-deserving companies and individuals who personify the excellence of Alabama’s 21st century mining industry,” said Patrick Cagle, president of AMA. “Safety and sustainability are the lifeblood of modern mining across our state, and AMA is proud of the ingenuity, commitment, and resiliency our members display every day. On behalf of AMA, I’d like to congratulate this year’s winners for their unwavering dedication to their people and their local communities.”
As a nonprofit trade association, AMA serves as the unified voice of Alabama’s mining industry. The association’s mission is to promote the safe and sustainable mining of the natural resources that strengthen our infrastructure and grow our great state’s economy.
Read more from AMA about safety here and sustainability here.
