Amid intense grassroots pressure, General Services Administration reverses closures of MSHA field offices

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 29, 2025

CONTACT
Dan Radmacher, Media Specialist, (276) 289-1018, dan@appvoices.org

This week, reports indicated that the General Services Administration reversed its intent to close more than 30 U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration field offices. These leases were scheduled to be terminated due to decisions by the controversial Department of Government Efficiency. 

MSHA field offices are typically sited near where heavy concentrations of mining are happening. Cutting these offices would mean that mine inspectors’ jobs would become harder, forcing them to travel further for congressionally mandated mine inspections and inhibiting their ability to be nearby when emergencies arise. A report from Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center found that DOGE’s proposed MSHA closures could possibly sideline the health and safety inspectors responsible for nearly 17,000 inspections from 2024 to 2025

Terminating MSHA field office leases was one of the first attacks on coal miner safety that happened under the current administration. The Black Lung Association, the United Mine Workers of America, and others all pushed back against this and subsequent threats to miner safety.

 In April, nearly all of the workers at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health were given termination notices, including employees of the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program and the Mining Research Division. These two departments do important work to study black lung trends and improve mine safety. Following the NIOSH layoff notices, MSHA voluntarily delayed implementation of the long-awaited silica rule that will protect coal miners from the deadly dust that causes black lung disease. 

“For months, coal communities have been raising the alarm about how cuts to MSHA and NIOSH would be disastrous for our miners,” said Vonda Robinson, Vice President of the National Black Lung Association. “We’re glad that the administration has listened and restored these offices, keeping mine inspectors in place. We’re grateful to Sens. Kaine and Warner and Rep. Scott for their work elevating threats to coal miner safety and health. We’re going to keep making progress and do whatever it takes to protect coal miners from black lung disease and accidents.” 

“I’m happy they’re going to keep these MSHA offices open,” said Gary Hairston, President of the National Black Lung Association. “We need these offices that are close to the mines so that MSHA can conduct safety inspections and respond to accidents in a timely way. Now we need MSHA to enforce the new silica rule, and we need Congress to give MSHA enough funding to do its job.”

“Black lung is a terrible disease with no cure and very limited treatments; It’s also 100% preventable,” said Dr. Drew Harris, University of Virginia Pulmonologist, Medical Director of Stone Mountain Health Services’ black lung program in Virginia, and member of Appalachian Voices. “With cases of black lung at near historical high levels in Appalachia, we need all the support and resources available to protect coal miners from dangerous dust exposures. I am pleased the administration is not planning to cut back on these critical resources needed to protect working coal miners. But more work is needed to stop the ongoing crisis of black lung. I hope federal regulators work to enforce the new silica dust rule in the immediate future.”