Thomas Perez on Environment

Took 70 years to get silica dust protections in place

Coal dust: Shouldn't sacrifice your life for your livelihood

We're here today to say: Enough. We have the tools to do something about this devastating but preventable disease. It's time to muster the will to do it. The nation made a promise to American miners when we passed the Coal Act in 1969--at long last, we're making good on that promise.

Today's rule will save lives. It will reduce the amount of unhealthy coal dust that miners breathe into their lungs; it will make use of cutting-edge technology to better measure dust levels; it requires mine operators to fix unhealthy dust levels when they find them--not days or weeks later; and it expands the medical surveillance program to improve early detection of black lung.