Download the May 2025 newsletter (PDF)
Coal miners at the U.S. Capitol in 1975. The uncropped original can be viewed here. (C) www.earldotter.com
A Statement from Executive Director Wes Addington
As someone who works at an organization devoted to defending miners’ rights to health and safety, I find it heartbreaking to see decades of hard-won protections being dismantled–protections meant to safeguard families like those ACLC represents.
Last month, the federal government announced severe cuts to both the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). For decades, regular mine inspections and access to health surveillance have saved lives.
Recently, ACLC’s Director of Policy Rebecca Shelton published a report on the impact of MSHA office closings. The 33 offices slated for closure accounted for nearly 400,000 hours of safety inspection work from 2024 to February 2025. Kentucky is particularly hard hit and will lose seven of the state’s nine MSHA offices. Without these protections and the workforce needed to carry them out, some coal companies will cut corners and miners will get sick or die as a result.
In addition to the cuts by the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), there has been another alarming development. Just days before it was set to take effect, MSHA delayed enforcement of a long-awaited silica dust rule that was a milestone in the fight against black lung disease.
At ACLC, we are monitoring these developments closely, analyzing their impact, and sharing timely information with the communities we serve. We remain committed to standing with coal miners and their families, and to protecting the health and safety systems they have long relied upon.
Listen to an interview with Wes about the federal cuts on WEKU’s Eastern Standard
Read our press release on suspension of the silica dust rule
ACLC Report on MSHA Closings cited in Senate Letter of Inquiry
In addition to being picked up nationally by numerous news agencies, including The Washington Post, Rebecca Shelton’s report was prominently cited in a letter of inquiry to the Department of Labor, demanding a plan for complying with the Mine Act and silica dust rule by May 1.
The letter was signed by Senators Mark Warner, Bernie Sanders, Tim Kaine and John Fetterman.
On the Dismantling of NIOSH
Since its founding in 1971, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has conducted life-saving research to prevent workplace injury and illness. For Appalachian coal miners and their families, the agency has been a lifeline. On June 1, the Department of Health and Human Services under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will cut more than 90% of NIOSH’s staff, shrinking the agency from 1,400 full- and part-time employees to fewer than 150. These cuts will effectively dismantle services that coal miners and their families have relied on for decades; services like free medical screenings to detect black lung, development of new technologies to keep miners’ safe from coal dust exposure.
ACLC has worked alongside NIOSH researchers for years. NIOSH regularly sends staffers to coal mining communities across Appalachia to provide free black lung screenings to miners. They are also dedicated to developing and testing new technologies to improve mine safety and reduce dust exposure. The elimination of thes
Read our public statement on the dismantling of NIOSH.
Fighting for safe, affordable drinking water
ACLC continues our fight for safe, affordable drinking water for Martin County, our region, and the nation as a whole.
We see firsthand how families struggle with unaffordable water costs and are working with partners across the country to push for stronger federal investment in water infrastructure and a permanent assistance program for water and wastewater services.
In April, ACLC and our grassroots partner Martin County Concerned Citizens joined members of the Water Equity and Climate Resilience Caucus on a trip to Washington DC to urge Congress to provide federal customer assistance for water and wastewater.
This month, ACLC’s Mary Cromer and Yasmin Zaerpoor of the Water Equity and Climate Resilience Caucus, co-authored an op-ed in the DC Journal spotlighting Martin County and urging Congress to take action.
Top: ACLC Deputy Director, Mary Cromer and Martin County Concerned Citizens Chair Nina McCoy. Bottom: Mary, Nina, and members of Water Equity and Climate Resilience Caucus at the U.S. Capitol
Upcoming Events
- Fleming-Neon Water Community Meeting on May 5th
- Story Circle Women in Coal Mining at Cowan Community Center on May 16th
Help us keep fighting for health, justice, and resilience in the coalfields — donate today
Questions about giving? Contact Caroline Rubens, ACLC’s Fundraising Officer, at caroline@aclc.org
