On April 23^rd, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, or MSHA, passed a long awaited rule that will lower the amount of respirable coal dust in all U.S. underground coal mines.  The new standard reduces dust levels from 2 miligrams per cubic meter to 1.5 miligrams per cubic meter.  This new standard aims to reduce black lung among miners, but it has drawn criticism from both the industry and workplace safety advocates.  WMMT’s Tarence Ray has this report.

Additional information about what coal miners face as they try to mine safely and protect their health can be found in this Huffington Post article The War on Coal Miners