August 10, 2026 - A new report reveals that coal miners in central Appalachia are suffering from black lung disease at the highest rates in nearly 50 years.

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) highlighted the urgent need to strengthen protections for miners and ensure they receive the healthcare and benefits they have earned.

“Coal miners in Appalachia are getting sicker and at younger ages, and this new data showing that black lung rates are at their highest in nearly 50 years is devastating,” Warner said. ”The administration’s decision to cut funding for programs that protect miners’ health and pause enforcement of the silica dust rule is leaving miners at greater risk. Miners have risked their lives to power our nation. I am proud to fight for coal miners in Appalachia and across the country, and we must do right by them. Congress must enact legislation to ensure miners can access the medical care, compensation and benefits they have earned.”

The report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that among miners in West Virginia, Virginia and Kentucky with at least 25 years of experience, 32.5% tested positive for black lung, the highest recorded rate since 1978.

Additionally, the report found that miners with at least 15 years underground are developing black lung at rates not seen in nearly 40 years.