Film night is Monday, Oct. 1 at 9 pm.
Davitt McAteer, Gov. Manchin’s coal safety expert and past undersecretary of Labor under President Clinton, will present his film about the history of coal mine safety. He is also presently finishing a book on the subject.
McAteer will discuss his forthcoming book about the Monongah 1907 mining disaster, the worst mine disaster in American history – Monongah 1907, December 6th. The new book will be published by WVU Press.
Davitt, a 1970 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law, specializes in occupational safety and health law, administration law, and environmental law. Davitt also works extensively in the areas of estate planning and land use appeals. He was born and raised in Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia.
Davitt is an expert in workplace safety. In the 1970s, he worked on two major pieces of federal legislation -- the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act and the Federal Mine Safety & Health Act. From February 1994 until December 2000, Davitt served as Assistant Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton. As Assistant Secretary of Labor, Davitt directed and managed the Mines Safety and Health Administration division of the United States Department of Labor, including its 2200 employees and $240 million budget. In addition, for almost two years, Davitt served as Acting Solicitor for the Department of Labor, in charge of the Department of Labor’s 500+ lawyers.
Following his tenure as Assistant Secretary, Davitt served as an Administrative Appeals Judges for the Benefits Review Board, within the United States Department of Labor. The Benefits Review Board reviews claims for coal workers' pneumoconiosis, more commonly known as Black Lung. He held that position from 2000 until 2001.
Since 2001, Davitt has served in various capacities. In 2001, he served as a consultant to West Virginia Governor Bob Wise, where he authored a report on improvements needed in coal mine safety and health within the State of West Virginia.
Following the World Trade Center attack on September 11, Davitt served as a consultant to the World Trade Center Recover Effort for the International Union of Operating Engineers and the Transport Workers Union Local 100 (the Subway Workers Union). As a consultant to the Operating Engineers, Davitt designs and develops training programs in the area of homeland security for the union and other organization members, including federal and foreign government agencies and individuals.
Presently, Davitt serves as the Vice President of Sponsored Programs and Governmental Affairs and as Legal Advisor to Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virginia. He also serves as Director of the Coal Impoundment Project, a program within the National Technology Transfer Center located in Wheeling, West Virginia, and as a consultant to the Appalachian Institute at Wheeling Jesuit University. He was Gov. Manchin’s expert on coal safety immediately following the Sago Mine Disaster in January 2006, releasing a report on the causes of the accident and what remedies should be taken.
He maintains an office and lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, in the State of West Virginia, the District of Columbia, the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. He is married to Kathryn Lough McAteer, Chairwoman of the West Virginia Library Commission.
Steve Fesenmaier is currently blogging at the Charleston Gazette.
Davitt McAteer, Gov. Manchin’s coal safety expert and past undersecretary of Labor under President Clinton, will present his film about the history of coal mine safety. He is also presently finishing a book on the subject.
McAteer will discuss his forthcoming book about the Monongah 1907 mining disaster, the worst mine disaster in American history – Monongah 1907, December 6th. The new book will be published by WVU Press.
Davitt, a 1970 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law, specializes in occupational safety and health law, administration law, and environmental law. Davitt also works extensively in the areas of estate planning and land use appeals. He was born and raised in Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia.
Davitt is an expert in workplace safety. In the 1970s, he worked on two major pieces of federal legislation -- the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act and the Federal Mine Safety & Health Act. From February 1994 until December 2000, Davitt served as Assistant Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton. As Assistant Secretary of Labor, Davitt directed and managed the Mines Safety and Health Administration division of the United States Department of Labor, including its 2200 employees and $240 million budget. In addition, for almost two years, Davitt served as Acting Solicitor for the Department of Labor, in charge of the Department of Labor’s 500+ lawyers.
Following his tenure as Assistant Secretary, Davitt served as an Administrative Appeals Judges for the Benefits Review Board, within the United States Department of Labor. The Benefits Review Board reviews claims for coal workers' pneumoconiosis, more commonly known as Black Lung. He held that position from 2000 until 2001.
Since 2001, Davitt has served in various capacities. In 2001, he served as a consultant to West Virginia Governor Bob Wise, where he authored a report on improvements needed in coal mine safety and health within the State of West Virginia.
Following the World Trade Center attack on September 11, Davitt served as a consultant to the World Trade Center Recover Effort for the International Union of Operating Engineers and the Transport Workers Union Local 100 (the Subway Workers Union). As a consultant to the Operating Engineers, Davitt designs and develops training programs in the area of homeland security for the union and other organization members, including federal and foreign government agencies and individuals.
Presently, Davitt serves as the Vice President of Sponsored Programs and Governmental Affairs and as Legal Advisor to Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virginia. He also serves as Director of the Coal Impoundment Project, a program within the National Technology Transfer Center located in Wheeling, West Virginia, and as a consultant to the Appalachian Institute at Wheeling Jesuit University. He was Gov. Manchin’s expert on coal safety immediately following the Sago Mine Disaster in January 2006, releasing a report on the causes of the accident and what remedies should be taken.
He maintains an office and lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, in the State of West Virginia, the District of Columbia, the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. He is married to Kathryn Lough McAteer, Chairwoman of the West Virginia Library Commission.
Steve Fesenmaier is currently blogging at the Charleston Gazette.
