Press Release: Silica Rule “Temporarily” Paused, Further Gutting Protections for Coal Miners

Posted Apr 11, 2025, by Lisa DePaoli

CCJ SQUARE 04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 11, 2025

Media Contact: Lisa DePaoli, lisa@centerforcoalfieldjustice.org, 412-229-7116 

Silica Rule “Temporarily” Paused, Further Gutting Protections for Coal Miners

Washington, PA – The Trump administration has “temporarily” paused enforcement of a desperately needed silica rule aimed at combatting the rising black lung and silicosis crisis among coal miners. The pause is intended “to provide time for operators to secure necessary equipment and otherwise come into compliance,” even though the rule was finalized in April of 2024 and set to go into effect this month.

Coal miners and their advocates have been fighting for decades to lower deadly silica dust exposure levels in the mines, and coal companies have historically underfunded the Black Lung program. In addition, the Department of Government Efficiency is closing 34 Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) offices in 19 states and the administration placed all 25 employees at the CDC’s Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP) on administrative leave. MSHA employees conduct health and safety inspections at coal mines while the CWHSP monitors respiratory diseases in miners.

Nick Hood, Senior Organizer at CCJ, said that “Coal has been on a long, steep decline for decades, but miner issues have increased, and pausing the silica rule only hurts them more. Even with some protections in place, they are still getting black lung and silicosis at exponentially increasing rates. Gutting MSHA and getting rid of miner protections and health surveillance will make it cheaper for coal companies, but cost more for coal miners in the form of their health and safety.”

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Author

  • Lisa (Coffield) DePaoli joined the CCJ staff in 2018 and is now our Communications Director. She grew up in rural Washington County, has family in both Washington and Greene Counties, and has always loved animals and spending time outdoors. A first-generation and nontraditional college student, her deep interest in human beings and ecology led her to earn a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2012. She has worked on research projects and taught at the university level in the U.S. and in field schools in Latin America. The knowledge and experience she gained increased her concern for environmental and social justice issues, which she believes are best addressed at the local level, or from the "bottom up," including the voices of those who are most impacted. Lisa works to understand issues from the local to the global, seeks to make a positive difference, and loves to talk to people about what interests or concerns them. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, furkids, and friends, and walking in the woods with her dogs. Contact Lisa at lisa@centerforcoalfieldjustice.org.

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