Who We Are The West Virginia Coal Forum was created in 1986 under the auspices of the Mine Safety & Technical Review Committee and at the direction of the West Virginia Legislative Committee on Coal Mining. This body was created to establish a forum for the coal industry to jointly resolve or develop technical and other issues impacting the industry, particularly those issues of an economic nature, or of major significance to the coal industry. The Forum also provides a means for management and labor leaders to develop joint legislative issues and programs and to promote the coal industry.