CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - More than 100 coal miners who have been laid off in Wyoming may be eligible to receive federal grant money for retraining.

The Casper Star-Tribune reported (https://bit.ly/2jvoZw6 ) Thursday that the U.S. Department of Labor recently approved up to $2 million for retraining Wyoming workers in seven counties.

State Department of Workforce Services spokeswoman Hayley McKee says the federal funds are intended to help around 140 laid off coal workers who have failed to secure new employment or are underemployed.

She says each worker will be eligible for around $6,500 to be used on classes, certifications and training to increase workers’ skill sets.

The workforce services department applied for the federal grant last May, months after nearly 500 coal miners in Wyoming lost their jobs in a single day.

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