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POSTPONED: Advocates Urge Congress to Advance Major Black Lung Legislation & Halt Attacks on New Silica Dust Rule

A group photo of members of the Black Lung Association

Next week, lawmakers and advocates for miners with black lung will discuss major new black lung legislation — including the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act introduced today — during a virtual press conference.

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5,200+ comments from across the country support strengthening silica dust rule as comment period concludes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2023 CONTACT Trey Pollard, trey@pollardcommunications.com, 202-904-9187 COAL COUNTRY – Last night at midnight EST, the 45-day comment period on the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s draft rule to protect coal miners from exposure to respirable

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Miners, advocates voice their concerns about MSHA’s proposed silica rule

Deputy Assistant Secretary Patricia Silvey moderated the silica hearing on Aug. 10.

Coal miners and black lung advocates filled several back rows of the auditorium at the Mine Safety and Health Administration Academy just outside of Beckley, West Virginia, on the morning of Aug. 10th to provide comments on the agency’s draft rule to protect miners from respirable silica dust.

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Miners, advocates speak out during silica rule hearing

During a public hearing held today in Beckley, West Virginia, a number of coal miners and advocates spoke out in support of strengthened silica dust exposure standards proposed by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration in response to an epidemic of new black lung cases among coal miners while highlighting areas where the proposed rule could be improved.

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New Draft Safety Standard for Exposure to Silica Dust

A man in a black t-shirt speaks at a podium behind a sign depicting a skeleton wearing a miner's hat that says BlackLungKills.org in black lettering. A banner that says Black Lung Association is draped over a table behind him and a statue of a miner rises above them in the background.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration’s proposed new regulations would reduce worker exposure to silica dust, but advocates say better enforcement measures are needed.

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Upcoming public hearings should highlight weaknesses of new silica rule proposal

xrays of black lung sufferers, Photo by CDC-NIOSH

The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration is planning three hybrid hearings on its proposed rule to strengthen silica exposure standards for coal miners. These hearings will give miners and their advocates an opportunity to point out some of the weaknesses of the proposal.

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