Posts Tagged ‘U.S. Department of Labor’
Gaming the system — Part III
In 2021, the Government Accountability Office found big problems with the Labor Department’s current rules because they do not require sufficient collateral to cover both current and future black lung liabilities.
Read MoreGaming the system — Part II
Congress stated clearly that coal operators, instead of taxpayers, would shoulder the cost of black lung when it set up the Black Lung Trust Fund. The trust fund was intended to be a backstop for miners rather than a means for coal operators to underinsure their liabilities.
Read MoreGaming the system — Part I
At its core, this is the age-old story of corporate greed whereby rapacious mine operators, who have subjected generations of miners to disabling and fatal black lung disease, managed to transfer their responsibility to pay black lung benefits to suffering coal miners from their corporate coffers to the taxpayer’s pockets.
Read MoreFederal negligence allowed coal companies to shrug off their responsibility for black lung benefits
For decades, coal companies ignored a federal requirement to provide enough funds for black lung benefits — and the government let them.
Read MoreTrump administration backs down on closing job centers
The Trump administration opted not to close down nine job centers that serve rural areas, including four in Appalachia, after widespread public backlash.
Read MoreEnergizing the Clean Economy
Political speeches, the nightly news and newspaper headlines are filled with reminders of the battered economy and the millions unemployed or underpaid. But as energy efficiency and renewable technologies advance, more domestic jobs are created that foster a sustainable economy, save money at home, and benefit human health and the environment. It’s an ambitious goal,…
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