Amid Chaos Caused by Funding Cuts, Layoffs, and Policy Rollbacks, Appalachian Leaders Release Appropriations Priorities for Congress

READ THE LETTERS HERE

APPALACHIA — Today, dozens of local and regional organizations from across Appalachia called on Congress to use the ongoing appropriations process to prioritize investments in the region left reeling from federal cuts, layoffs and policy rollbacks. Four separate letters from these advocates were sent to the chairperson and ranking member on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees with a focus on investments in economic development, flood resiliency, miner health and safety, and mine reclamation. In the letters, advocates note that many Appalachian communities hit hard by the long-term decline of the coal industry have begun to see new job creation and sustainable economic growth thanks to federal investments — momentum that could be derailed by the Trump Administration’s significant cuts.

“These investments in Appalachia aren’t just numbers on a page — they represent real opportunities for our communities,” said Dana Kuhnline, Program Director, ReImagine Appalachia. “We’ve seen manufacturing and clean energy investments double in Central Appalachia between 2022 and 2023 alone. Cutting funding now would pull the rug out from under communities that are finally starting to see positive momentum. From flood resilience that protects our homes to workforce development programs that create good jobs, these federal investments are helping Appalachian communities build a more secure future. We need to strengthen these programs, not cut them, if we want to support the hardworking people of Appalachia who are rolling up their sleeves to rebuild their communities.”

Federal funding freezes and cuts have left local governments and organizations across Appalachia scrambling for answers and resources. Amid an increase in black lung diagnoses, epidemiologists and staff who specialize in researching and screening for the disease have been laid off as the Trump administration delays the implementation of life-saving protections from silica dust. Dozens of mine safety offices are closing across the country, potentially sidelining the health and safety inspectors responsible for nearly 17,000 inspections from 2024 to 2025. Funding cuts and a staffing exodus at the Office of Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Enforcement could decimate efforts to reclaim and restore abandoned mines in coal mining areas across the country. Advocates point to the appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2026 as a key place to dampen the impact of these devastating cuts and rollbacks.

“The health and safety of individuals at work is essential for a thriving community,” said Rebecca Shelton, Director of Policy, Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center. “Cuts at MSHA and NIOSH that eliminate protections for miners are unconscionable. Protecting these important agencies and preserving funding for their programs is one way for Congress to step up and signal to the Trump administration that undermining the health of our nation’s coal miners is out of bounds.” 

Meanwhile, as new floods have hit the region, the Trump administration’s cuts have decimated relief and recovery efforts of all kinds across Appalachia. This includes FEMA’s former Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, which was recently defunded by the Trump administration. This popular program supported infrastructure and capacity-building for flood prevention. 

“The Pound River runs through our community and is a tremendous asset, but it is also dangerous. If we’re unable to adapt to changing weather and river conditions, it will be difficult for our community to thrive,” said Leabern Kennedy, the Vice-Mayor of Pound, Virginia. “Already, our finances and population have been impacted by the decline of coal, which was our primary industry, and if we’re unable to mitigate the hazards posed by our river then we’re going to drive even more people out.”

The letters to the Appropriations committees recommend priority investments to help continue the revitalization of coal community economies and improve community health and safety. Some recommendations from each of the letters include:

Flood Resiliency

• Fund and expand eligibility for the Rural Disaster Home Repair Program;
• Strengthen the work of FEMA by funding the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program and the Flood Hazard Mapping and Risk Analysis program, while expanding use of FEMA’s public assistance program to cover private bridge repair and replacement;
• Invest in the U.S. Geological Survey’s Federal Priority Streamgages to monitor stream-flow and provide crucial, timely information about flood risks that save lives and property.

Miner Health and Safety

• Fully fund the Mine Safety and Health Administration, including the implementation of life-saving protections from excess silica dust that causes black lung disease. Previously, the Department of Government Efficiency announced the closure of 33 MSHA offices around the country;
• Fully fund Black Lung Clinics to detect the deadly disease and support miners who have gotten sick;
• Fully fund the Mining Research program and the Enhanced Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (both hit hard by funding cuts and layoffs) to address miner health and safety issues and study and detect black lung disease, while restoring staff who have been fired from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 
• Increase black lung benefit rates and tie benefit adjustments to the cost of living rather than the federal pay scale so that miners who are sick do not have to struggle to make ends meet as prices rise.

Mining Reclamation

• Fully fund the Office of Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Enforcement and maintain staffing levels to continue permitting and rule enforcement for federal abandoned mine land reclamation projects;
• Invest in the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative to reduce erosion, restore habitat for local wildlife and protect communities from increased runoff that exacerbates flooding.

Workforce Development, Job Creation and Community Support

• Support the growth of advanced manufacturing through tax credits and other Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded programs;
• Increase support for job training, community outreach and workforce development programs like YouthBuild, Americorps, Registered Apprenticeship initiatives, and reentry employment opportunities;
• Strengthen and protect funding for nutrition programs and increase funding for Headstart;
• Invest in the Community Development Financial Institution Fund and the Economic Development Administration to support job skills training and infrastructure improvements.

“The people of West Virginia and all across Appalachia call on our elected officials to use their congressional power of the purse to ensure that the needs of families and working people are met vis a vis federal appropriations,” said Lida Shepherd of the American Friends Service Committee, West Virginia. “Appalachia’s future depends on Congress protecting Medicaid coverage, access to food via the SNAP program, and ensuring we have the necessary resources to recover from climate related disasters.”

The window for Congress to address the damage caused by the administration’s cuts and rollbacks is closing, with House and Senate leadership expected to finalize budget legislation by the end of May before embarking on the reconciliation process that will dramatically limit opportunities for alterations.