Area welding classes will use surplus pipe from Rockies Express project

llen Fore, Director of Community Relations for Kinder Morgan and representative of the Rockies Express Pipeline (far left) poses with Butler Tech welding students and Shane McKinney, Butler Tech welding instructor (far right), on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010. The Pipeline officials donated an estimated $3,000 of steel pipe to the school to be used by the secondary and adult welding classes.

Contributed photo llen Fore, Director of Community Relations for Kinder Morgan and representative of the Rockies Express Pipeline (far left) poses with Butler Tech welding students and Shane McKinney, Butler Tech welding instructor (far right), on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010. The Pipeline officials donated an estimated $3,000 of steel pipe to the school to be used by the secondary and adult welding classes.

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Staff Report Updated 1:50 PM Thursday, November 4, 2010

FAIRFIELD TWP. — Officials operating a pipeline project that crosses the state of Ohio have given surplus pipe to local welding classes.

In a meeting of officials with students and faculty Thursday at Butler Tech Career Center, Rockies Express Pipeline steel was presented to the adult and secondary welding classes. The donation is worth an estimated $3,000, REX officials said.

In Sept. 2009, REX donated an estimated $13,000 worth of pipeline to the classes.

“In these difficult economic times, REX wanted to provide surplus pipe for use by student welders,” said Allen Fore, director of community relations for Kinder Morgan. “This donation allows these students to work on quality pipe as they continue their education and make career preparations. We are happy to make this significant donation to Butler Tech and continue our good relationship with the school, Butler County and the State of Ohio.”

“We certainly appreciate the many donations that our school district receives from partner companies and individuals throughout our service area,” said Bill Solazzo, director of marketing for Butler Tech. “These donations make a positive impact on the educational experiences that we can offer our students.

“We at Butler Tech are grateful for REX’s generosity,” Solazzo said.

Other donations REX has made to Ohio communities include topsoil data to state officials, office furniture and supplies to the United Ways of Warren and Fairfield counties, $1.5 million to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and surplus pipe to welding programs in the Columbus City School system and to career centers across the pipeline route.

Butler Tech and the Warren County Career Center students have been given tours of Rockies Express Pipeline right-of-way construction and the Hamilton compressor station.