Just months ago, coal miners stood proudly with President Trump at the White House, donned in their hard hats, expressing gratitude for his efforts to revive their embattled industry.
However, a stark contrast will be seen this Tuesday as dozens of these same miners, joined by their families, gather outside the Labor Department to protest the Trump administration, accusing it of failing to safeguard them from black lung disease—a devastating, irreversible condition stemming from inhaling coal and silica dust.
For months, these workers have been desperately awaiting government enforcement of federal limits on silica dust, a known carcinogen linked to a recent surge in black lung cases. Yet, enforcement has been stalled, caught in a legal battle initiated by powerful mining industry groups, with the Trump administration deferring action.
Labor unions, Democratic lawmakers, and a growing chorus of miners are now criticizing the Trump administration, alleging that it prioritizes massive federal subsidies for coal companies over the health and safety of the very workers who power the nation.
“Companies are getting handouts, but miners aren’t seeing any of it,” stated Gary Hairston, 71, a retired West Virginia coal miner and president of the National Black Lung Association. Hairston himself has battled black lung disease since his 40s.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly responded, asserting that President Trump “deeply cares about unlocking America’s energy potential and championing those who power our country,” specifically mentioning coal miners.
Kelly added that “blue-collar Americans were instrumental in President Trump’s return to the White House because they trust he supports them,” emphasizing his commitment to policies that enhance the lives of working families nationwide.
However, Kelly offered no indication as to whether the administration intends to modify or revoke the crucial silica dust regulation.
The dangers of coal dust have been federally recognized since 1969, when the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act established health and safety benchmarks, along with mandating federal inspections and black lung monitoring.
Yet, despite decades of progress, the disease has made a disturbing resurgence, especially among younger miners. This alarming trend is attributed to increased exposure to silica dust, a consequence of evolving mining practices. As accessible thick coal seams in regions like Appalachia diminish, miners are forced to cut through more rock, thereby encountering higher levels of this dangerous substance.
Silica dust, composed of microscopic crystals, can embed itself in lung tissue, leading to inflammation and scarring upon inhalation. It’s an insidious threat, estimated to be 20 times more toxic than coal dust, also capable of causing lung cancer and kidney disease.
The Biden administration previously established strict limits on miners’ exposure to the silica dust that mirrored federal regulations already in place for construction and other dust-exposed industries. These rules mandated immediate corrective action from mine operators if exposure limits were surpassed, and were projected to avert at least 1,067 deaths and 3,746 new cases of black lung.
Andy Martin, 68, a retired miner from Norton, Virginia, who spent nearly five decades in Wyoming and Virginia mines before his black lung diagnosis, stressed the rule’s vital importance for the survival of the mining workforce. Historically seen in older miners, black lung is now tragically appearing in workers as young as their 30s and 40s.
A 2018 study revealed that over 10 percent of coal miners with at least 25 years of service were afflicted with black lung. In the core mining states of Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia – where many of the rally attendees reside – up to 20 percent of seasoned miners now battle dust-induced lung disease.
“It’s not the coal that’s killing them; it’s the silica,” Martin emphasized, pausing frequently to cough and regain his breath during a recent conversation. “We absolutely must address this for the sake of the younger generation.”
Although silica exposure limits were slated for implementation in April, powerful industry groups, including the National Sand Stone and Gravel Association and the National Mining Association, successfully petitioned a federal appeals court to halt the rule, citing potential costs to mine operators.
Conor Bernstein, a spokesman for the National Mining Association, publicly stated their “absolute support for the new lower levels.” However, while the regulation mandates reducing in-mine silica concentrations through improved ventilation and dust control, the association advocates for increased reliance on personal protective equipment – a stance criticized by miners’ advocates who deem respirators impractical and insufficient.
Notably, the Trump administration chose not to defend the rule in court. Instead, it agreed to delay enforcement and subsequently sought to block labor unions and a lung health association from intervening in the case. Just this month, citing a government shutdown, it requested yet another court delay.
Both Republican senators from West Virginia, Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice, declined to comment on the controversial rule and its ongoing delays.
Democrats and labor unions have accused the Trump administration of exploiting coal miners for political photo opportunities while neglecting their critical health concerns.
Since his initial presidential campaign in 2016, President Trump has consistently championed the coal industry, often campaigning alongside miners. Upon re-entering the White House this year, his actions have included expanding coal mining and consumption, preventing the closure of financially struggling coal plants, reversing environmental regulations opposed by the industry, and allocating $625 million in subsidies to support coal-fired power facilities.
Once a dominant force, coal historically generated nearly half of America’s electricity. Today, that figure has plummeted to just 16 percent, as hundreds of coal plants have closed since the mid-2000s, replaced by more economical natural gas, wind, and solar alternatives.
Judith Riffe, 80, whose husband, Bernard, passed away in March from black lung complications after over 40 years in West Virginia coal mines, believes miners deserve a government that advocates for them with the same fervor it shows for coal companies.
“They talk about caring for coal, but come here and see for yourselves,” Riffe urged from her home in Wyco, a community in West Virginia that once thrived on coal.
She lamented, “While mining activity has surged and coal trucks are constantly moving, the benefits aren’t reaching the coal miners themselves.”
Her poignant conclusion: “Coal miners have fueled this nation, and now they are simply cast aside to die.”