Tell Congress: Coal Companies Need to Pay for Black Lung

An epidemic of the deadly and incurable black lung disease is sweeping the nation’s coal miners, especially those in Appalachia. Black lung disease is caused by the inhalation of dust from mining coal. Since 2000, the rate of black lung among veteran coal miners has doubled across the nation. In Central Appalachia, a staggering 1 in 5 veteran working coal miners now afflicted.

In the midst of this epidemic, some coal industry lobbyists are callously calling for a 50% reduction to the per-ton tax on coal production that provides black lung benefits for nearly 19,000 miners and their dependents who do not have employer-provided black lung benefits. This reduction is set to occur at the end of 2018 unless Congress takes action.

Multiple groups with the Alliance for Appalachia are banding together to fight for these miners’ rights.

Urgent action needed — Tell your representatives in Congress that coal companies need to pay their fair share to provide healthcare to miners with black lung!

The post Tell Congress: Coal Companies Need to Pay for Black Lung appeared first on Appalachian Voices.

Protecting the Central and Southern Appalachian Mountain Region