Comments on: Thursday Public Hearing in Beckley ~ Comments Due on Silica Dust Rule for Miners https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/08/08/thursday-public-hearing-in-beckley-comments-due-on-silica-dust-rule-for-miners/ Just another WordPress site Wed, 14 Feb 2024 02:06:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Leah Willingham https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/08/08/thursday-public-hearing-in-beckley-comments-due-on-silica-dust-rule-for-miners/#comment-452166 Leah Willingham Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:00:34 +0000 https://www.frackcheckwv.net/?p=46463#comment-452166 <strong>Coal miners plead with feds for stronger enforcement during emotional hearing on black lung rule</strong> From Leah Willingham, Associated Press, August 10, 2023 Retired West Virginia coal miner Terry Lilly, who has black lung, speaks during a public hearing hosted by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration about its draft rule to limit worker exposure to silica dust at the agency's office in Beaver, W.Va. on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023 Miners and advocates are pleading with the Mine Safety and Health Administration to ensure a proposed rule to cut the current limit for silica dust exposure has strict enforcement mechanisms. During an emotional, hours-long hearing, miners with black lung spoke about their fear of retaliation for speaking up about unsafe dust levels and being asked by companies to help falsify samples. They said the government needs more inspectors to spend more time in the mines making sure existing rules are followed. Otherwise, new regulations won’t make a meaningful difference, they say. The hearing was the second of three before public comment on the proposal ends next month. Coal miners plead with feds for stronger enforcement during emotional hearing on black lung rule

From Leah Willingham, Associated Press, August 10, 2023

Retired West Virginia coal miner Terry Lilly, who has black lung, speaks during a public hearing hosted by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration about its draft rule to limit worker exposure to silica dust at the agency’s office in Beaver, W.Va. on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023

Miners and advocates are pleading with the Mine Safety and Health Administration to ensure a proposed rule to cut the current limit for silica dust exposure has strict enforcement mechanisms. During an emotional, hours-long hearing, miners with black lung spoke about their fear of retaliation for speaking up about unsafe dust levels and being asked by companies to help falsify samples.

They said the government needs more inspectors to spend more time in the mines making sure existing rules are followed. Otherwise, new regulations won’t make a meaningful difference, they say. The hearing was the second of three before public comment on the proposal ends next month.

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