Coal Miners Demand Protections as Trump Admin Delays Safety Rules

13 Oct, 2025

By Eli Sachs

On Tuesday, October 14, dozens of coal miners, their families, and members of the National Black Lung Association gathered outside the Department of Labor headquarters in Washington, D.C., to protest the Trump administration's failure to enforce critical protections against silica dust exposure. The demonstration comes as frustration mounts among coal workers who feel abandoned by an administration that has consistently championed the industry while gutting the safety programs designed to protect its workforce.​

"While the companies may be receiving financial assistance, the miners are left without any support," said Gary Hairston, a 71-year-old retired coal miner from West Virginia and president of the National Black Lung Association, who has lived with black lung disease since his 40s.​

Silica dust has emerged as the primary driver of a devastating resurgence in black lung disease among coal miners. The substance, which is 20 times more toxic than coal dust, is released when miners cut through layers of rock to access increasingly deep coal seams. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in five long-term coal miners in Central Appalachia now shows evidence of black lung disease, the highest rate observed in 25 years.​

The disease has also begun affecting younger workers in their 30s and 40s, with some developing severe forms of pneumoconiosis after as few as seven to ten years of exposure. Black lung is irreversible, incurable, and often fatal, reducing life expectancy by an average of 12 years.​

"It's not the coal that's harming them, it's the silica. We need to address this issue for the younger generation."
— Andy Martin, 68-year-old retired miner from Virginia​

After decades of advocacy by miners and health experts, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) finalized a rule in April 2024 to lower the permissible exposure limit of respirable crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air. The regulation, which aligns with standards already in place for construction and other industries, was scheduled to take effect on April 14, 2025.​

However, the Trump administration paused enforcement in April 2025, citing "unforeseen NIOSH restructuring" after the Department of Government Efficiency oversaw mass layoffs at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. When mining industry groups, including the National Sand, Stone and Gravel Association, filed a lawsuit to block the rule, the Trump administration declined to oppose their request. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently issued an indefinite stay on the regulation.​

Rebecca Shelton, Director of Policy for the Appalachian Citizens' Law Center, criticized the delays: "Coal miners and their allies have fought for these life-saving protections from black lung disease for a generation, but now the Trump Administration and the coal companies are seemingly working hand-in-hand to slow down the process and weaken future protections".​

The regulatory delays represent only one aspect of the Trump administration's impact on miner health programs. In April 2025, approximately 875 of NIOSH's roughly 1,000 employees were laid off, effectively shutting down the Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program. This program had provided free medical screenings through a mobile unit that traveled to accessible locations, helping miners detect black lung disease early and seek compensation.​

The program also administered Part 90, a federal initiative that allows miners diagnosed with black lung to transfer to less hazardous positions at the same pay rate without risk of termination. Josh Cochran, a 43-year-old West Virginia miner diagnosed with severe black lung disease, explained the program's importance: "Part 90 - that's the only option you have. You can leave the mines and still earn the same pay, and they can't just let you go".​

After West Virginia coal miner Harry Wiley filed a class-action lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. District Judge Irene Berger issued a preliminary injunction on May 13, ordering the restoration of the surveillance program. The judge stated:​

"It is difficult to imagine a clearer case of irreparable harm."
— Judge Irene Berger​

Following the court order and pressure from Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Kennedy reversed course and reinstated approximately 328 NIOSH employees. However, many workers remained on administrative leave, and the program's long-term stability remains uncertain.

Beyond the health surveillance programs, the Trump administration's cuts have affected mine safety inspections. The Department of Government Efficiency mandated the closure of approximately three dozen MSHA field offices nationwide. While many closures were reversed, at least four offices—including one in Pineville, West Virginia, established after 29 miners died in a 2010 explosion—remain slated for closure.​

When Christopher Williamson, former Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health under the Biden administration, departed MSHA in January 2025, there were 20 unfilled mine inspector positions, with 90 additional job offers rescinded after Trump took office and approximately 120 workers accepting buyouts.​

"There will be no one monitoring the mines," said Anita Wolfe, a NIOSH veteran with 40 years of experience who directed the Coal Workers Health Surveillance Program for 20 years.​

The safety program cuts stand in stark contrast to President Trump's public support for the coal industry. In early April 2025, Trump hosted coal miners at the White House, where they posed in hard hats as he signed executive orders aimed at revitalizing coal production and extending the operational lifespan of coal-fired power plants.​

"We're going to reinstate jobs for the miners," Trump declared at the event. "They are wonderful people with great families, hailing from regions of the country that we cherish and respect".​

Yet just hours after that celebration, the Trump administration paused implementation of the silica dust rule. Judith Riffe, an 80-year-old West Virginia resident whose husband Bernard died in March 2025 from complications of black lung disease, expressed her disillusionment:​

"Sure, they claim to care about coal, but come down here and see for yourself. They're mining significantly more now, with coal trucks and everything in operation, yet the coal miners aren't seeing any benefits. The coal miners have provided this country with electricity, and now they're just being left to suffer."
— Judith Riffe

Gary Weikle, a 35-year coal miner who was diagnosed with advanced lung disease at a screening in 2023, expressed frustration over the cuts at a time when the administration seeks to boost coal production. "Don't misunderstand me; I'm a Republican," Weikle stated. "But I believe there are more intelligent methods to increase coal output without compromising safety".​

The Mine Safety and Health Administration estimates that the silica rule would prevent more than 1,000 deaths and 3,700 cases of silica-related illnesses. Each day of delayed enforcement increases miners' exposure to silica and their risk of developing black lung disease.​

Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, stated that President Trump is "deeply committed to unlocking America's energy potential and advocating for those who power our nation," adding that Trump "is diligently working to implement policies that enhance the livelihoods of working families nationwide". However, Kelly did not specify whether the administration intends to amend, enforce, or revoke the silica dust regulation.​

As miners and their supporters rallied in Washington, the next court update on the silica rule was scheduled for mid-October, a full six months after the rule's planned enforcement date. The ongoing litigation, combined with the Trump administration's apparent unwillingness to defend the regulation, has left miners uncertain about when—or if—these protections will ever take effect.​

Previous Next

Subscribe to Stateline Press

#human rights #labor #regulation #trump #us