My first encounter with black lung occurred as a child visiting the Tennessee Valley Fair, where a booth attendant displayed pictures of lungs flecked with what looked like tar and explained the injustice of the disease. Denise Giardina’s novels led to an early interest in health and labor activism sprinkled […]

This article was originally published by Ohio Valley ReSource. Robert E. Murray, the former CEO and president of the now-bankrupt Murray Energy, has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Labor for black lung benefits. For years, Murray and his company fought against federal mine safety regulations aimed at reducing […]

This article was originally published by Ohio Valley ReSource. Just three bankruptcies of American coal companies have added more than $800 million in costs to a federal government program that funds health care for disabled coal miners, the Government Accountability said in a report released Wednesday.  The report comes after […]

This article was originally published by Ohio Valley ReSource Lynn Estel Stanley was the kind of coal mine foreman who wanted to know if there was a safety problem, and would always be the one to go fix it himself. He was also the kind of miner who refused to […]

This article was originally published by Ohio Valley ReSource Officials with the Mine Safety and Health Administration met for the first time with miners’ health researchers Wednesday in a new partnership designed to discuss ways to better protect coal miners from the dust that causes black lung disease. In future […]