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$250K in Brookwood-Sago Grants Awarded to University of Arizona, Penn State, South Dakota Mines

The U.S. Department of Labor announced $250,000 in Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety grants to three universities: South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ($120,000), University of Arizona ($80,000), and Penn State ($50,000). MSHA will use the funding to support education and training programs on mine rescue, powered haulage safety, fall safety, and silica dust protection. The grant program was established under the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006, honoring 25 miners who died in the Brookwood, Alabama and Sago, West Virginia mine disasters.

Japan, Arizona Sign MOU for Semiconductor R&D Collaboration

JETRO, Arizona State University, the Arizona Commerce Authority, and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding on March 4, 2026, establishing a framework for collaboration in semiconductor R&D, human resource development, and workforce development. The agreement leverages JETRO's nationwide network of Japan's regional industrial ecosystems, ASU's research expertise, and ACA and GPEC's networks of Arizona-based companies to support industrial ecosystem development in both regions. Key initiatives include jointly organizing symposiums, seminars, and business missions, and implementing collaborative programs with Japan's domestic semiconductor ecosystem.

Landmark Study Finds Crumb Rubber in Synthetic Turf Poses No Significant Cancer Risk

OEHHA released a landmark study on March 5, 2026, finding that recycled tires used as crumb rubber infill in synthetic turf fields pose no significant risk of cancer or other health problems to players, coaches, referees, or spectators. The comprehensive study tested 35 synthetic turf fields across all California climate regions, coordinated with Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, UC Berkeley, and University of Arizona, and surveyed over 1,000 soccer players ages 7 to 71 to assess exposure through skin contact, breathing, and ingestion. OEHHA found no acute risk to any group tested, including toddlers who might crawl on fields, with negligible risk for sensory irritation, cancer, or reproductive harm.