ENERGY + ENVIRONMENT
HEALTH
U.S. House committee advances bill that would halt application of new silica dust rule
The bill now heads to the full House, where it can still be amended

BY: CAITY COYNE - JULY 15, 2024 5:36 AM


Exposure to mixed coal mine dust that contains silica — a carcinogen — can lead to the development of pneumoconiosis, commonly known as black lung disease. (Getty Images)

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee voted last week to advance an appropriations bill for the federal Department of Labor that contains a provision to block the implementation of a newly finalized rule meant to limit coal miners’ exposure to dangerous silica dust.

The bill previously passed a subcommittee and, on Wednesday, passed the full Appropriations Committee 31-25 with no amendments that would affect the attempt to stop the silica rule. It now advances to the full House, where lawmakers will have the chance to amend it before passage.

The appropriations bill — which outlines how the Department of Labor will allocate its funding for fiscal year 2025 — contains one line of text that prohibits the use of any funding for the implementation of the new silica dust rule.

The federal rule to limit miners’ exposure to silica dust was finalized in April and most of it began to go into effect in June. The new rule — initially proposed in July 2023 — implements for the first time ever a separate exposure limit for silica dust in mines, cuts the maximum exposure limit to 50 micrograms per cubic meter for a full-shift and creates an “action level” for when exposure comes at 25 micrograms per cubic meter for a full shift. It also establishes uniform exposure monitoring and control requirements for mine operators to follow.

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This story originally appeared in West Virginia Watch, which, like The Virginia Mercury, is part of States Newsroom.