STATEMENT: Warner, Kaine, Fetterman on DOL Announcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and John Fetterman (D-PA) issued a joint statement today expressing serious concern over the decision by the Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to delay enforcement of its final rule aimed at protecting miners from the harmful effects of respirable crystalline silica, commonly known as silica dust.

The senators described the delay as “an alarming abdication of responsibility” and underscored the significant health risks posed by continued exposure to silica dust, particularly in coal mining operations. The rule, finalized in 2023, was intended to enhance protections for miners by reducing allowable silica dust levels in mines and improving monitoring requirements.

“Coal miners deserve to go to work every day and come back healthy, and the recent decision by the Mine Safety and Health Administration delaying enforcement of their landmark rule to better protect miners from silica dust is an alarming abdication of responsibility,” the senators stated.

Respirable crystalline silica has been directly linked to an aggressive form of black lung disease, a progressive and often fatal illness that has been diagnosed with increasing frequency among younger miners. The senators emphasized the urgent need for MSHA to move forward with implementation in accordance with the existing enforcement timeline.

“Silica dust has caused severe black lung disease in young coal miners, and as the Trump administration continues to cause chaos through their indiscriminate funding cuts and firings, it’s our miners who are being left behind,” the statement continued. “We expect the Mine Safety and Health Administration to begin enforcement of this rule no later than their August 18, 2025, deadline.”

Senators Warner, Kaine, and Fetterman have consistently advocated for stronger miner health protections, including updated standards for silica exposure. They previously applauded the Department of Labor’s decision to modernize federal silica regulations, citing the need to address evolving threats to miner safety.

The delayed enforcement of the silica rule comes amid broader concerns about regulatory rollbacks and the weakening of federal workplace safety oversight. The senators reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that miners receive the full protections afforded to them under the law.