OHIO VALLEY RESOURCE: Shouldering Coal’s Costs: Uncertain Future for Programs Addressing Coal Industry Health Impacts

ACLC’S black lung organizer Courtney Rhoades was interviewed for this article.

“‘There’s also a lot of pushback from coal companies, because as coal is declining, they don’t want to pay into this,’ said Courtney Rhoades, who advocates for black lung patients at Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center. ‘Even though we also know that as cool as declining, they’re cutting into more rock dust, and that’s leading to sicker miners that we’ve seen in the last decade.'”

“Rhoades is advocating for a 25% increase in the fee, which is currently wrapped into a bill backed by Senator Bernie Sanders. Appalachian Voices believes this would make the fund solvent through 2050. Otherwise, the fund will have to be supported by taxpayers.

‘This is a disease that’s caused by coal operators and coal operators have to be held responsible for that,’ Rhoades said.”

Read the full article here.