From Mother Jones · Michael Sainato · · 3m
Coal miners trapped in benefits limbo as black lung surges
Disabled miners wait years for federal benefits while coal companies appeal their claims and cases hit a 50-year high.
In brief
Disabled miners wait years for federal benefits while coal companies appeal their claims and cases hit a 50-year high. Black lung disease is surging to levels unseen since 1978, but miners seeking federal benefits face years of delays and appeals by coal operators, while the Trump administration delays enforcement of…
A miner's 12-year fight for benefits
Josh Armes worked 38 years in coal mines and now needs oxygen to breathe. Since 2014, he's been trapped in an appeals process while coal operators challenge his black lung benefits.
“They can appeal it, get a different judge, and it's stripped away from you, which I find absolutely insane.”
What is black lung disease
Coal workers' pneumoconiosis develops from breathing coal dust over decades, irreversibly damaging the lungs. The federal program created in 1969 provides compensation and medical benefits to disabled miners.
Cases are surging to 50-year highs
Researchers found 32.5 percent of veteran underground coal miners in central Appalachia have black lung, a rate unseen since 1978. Between 2020 and 2023, more than 1,700 coal miners died from the disease.
The silica dust problem
The rise in black lung cases is linked to silica dust in coal seams being mined today. A federal rule passed in April 2024 would mandate engineering and ventilation controls to protect miners.
Trump administration delays dust protections
The Mine Safety and Health Administration announced an indefinite delay of the silica dust rule in April, citing pending judicial review. The agency requested a pause on court action, effectively freezing enforcement.
Congress blocked funding for the rule
Republicans in Congress blocked funding for the silica dust rule in June 2024. The MSHA under Trump indicated to the United Mine Workers union it has no plans to enforce the rule.
40 percent of claims get disputed
Between 2013 and 2024, coal operators disputed 40 percent of approved black lung claims. The median length of an appealed claim is three years or more.
The burden falls on sick miners
Miners must pay out of pocket for medical tests and hire lawyers to fight for benefits. Some claims take longer than 10 years to resolve, and 390 beneficiaries had approved claims denied on appeal.
Miners lose benefits after approval
Between January 2013 and August 2024, 390 beneficiaries whose claims were initially approved had them denied after appeal. They became responsible for repaying all benefits received.
Operators are waiting them out
A government accountability office report found miners believe coal operators are waiting for them to die or give up. The strategy forces disabled miners to fight for years while their health deteriorates.
“Miners in all six groups expressed their belief that mine operators were either 'waiting for them to die' or 'waiting for them to give up'”
Democratic senators push for reform
Senators Mark Warner, John Hickenlooper, Tim Kaine, and John Fetterman requested the government accountability office report and introduced legislation to improve the black lung benefits system.
What miners want to change
Crystal Armes, Josh's daughter, argues coal companies should not be allowed to appeal after benefits are awarded. She says the burden of proof should shift from miners to operators.
“The burden of proof lies on the coal miner to prove that he has black lung.”
The bottom line
Black lung disease is surging to levels unseen since 1978, but miners seeking federal benefits face years of delays and appeals by coal operators, while the Trump administration delays enforcement of dust protection rules.
