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Black Lung Forum with Senator Tim Kaine Highlights Urgent Needs of Southwest VA Coal Miners – The Rural Route Review
Oxbow Center, St. Paul, Virginia — April 7, 2026
ST. PAUL — Coal miners, medical professionals, legal advocates, and policymakers gathered Wednesday at the Oxbow Center in St. Paul for a Black Lung forum hosted by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, bringing renewed attention to a disease that continues to take a growing toll across Southwest Virginia and Appalachia.
The expert panel included Vonda Robinson, Vice President of the National Black Lung Association; Dr. Drew Harris, Medical Director of the Black Lung Program at Stone Mountain Health Services; Wes Addington, Executive Director of the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center; Brad Johnson, Director of the Black Lung Program at Stone Mountain; and attorney Heith Reynolds of Mark T. Hurt Law. Also in attendance in the room full of miners and family, U.M.W.A. representatives, healthcare providers was Adam Murphy, Democratic candidate for Congress in Virginia’s Ninth District.
The forum opened with a clear purpose: hear directly from the community and address ongoing challenges facing miners suffering from black lung disease.
Kaine emphasized recent federal efforts to protect miners’ pensions and restore the Black Lung excise tax and extend it to exported coal, but acknowledged that significant work remains. Among the top concerns is exposure to silica dust, which medical experts say is driving a new wave of severe disease in Central Appalachia. A federal rule aimed at reducing silica exposure levels has been stalled in court following industry challenges, leaving miners vulnerable in the meantime.
Dr. Harris presented sobering medical data, noting that more than 1,700 black lung-related deaths have been recorded in recent years, with increasing rates tied to silica exposure. He highlighted that traditional lung function tests can miss serious disease, stressing the need for more comprehensive evaluations. Cases shared during the forum included young miners developing advanced progressive massive fibrosis, some requiring oxygen or facing the possibility of lung transplants before the age of 40.
Panelists also pointed to the heightened risk of infections, including pneumonia and tuberculosis, among miners exposed to silica dust. These complications often accelerate the disease and contribute to premature death.
Legal experts described a benefits system that, while essential, remains complex and difficult to navigate. Addington noted that many miners must endure lengthy delays, repeated appeals, and costly medical evidence requirements to secure benefits. Current payments, he said, have failed to keep pace with inflation, reducing their real value over time.
To address these issues, Senator Kaine and other lawmakers have introduced the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act, which would stabilize funding by indexing the excise tax to inflation, simplify the claims process, and expand access to medical evidence such as CT scans. A companion proposal, the Miners’ Survivors Act, aims to ease the burden on families by presuming black lung as a cause of death when a miner had a documented history of the disease.
Brad Johnson highlighted the role of Stone Mountain Health Services, the only federally funded black lung clinic in Virginia, which provides comprehensive services from testing to claims assistance. He noted that approximately 14 percent of patients in recent cycles are already diagnosed with advanced disease, signaling a larger population at risk.
Another concern raised during the forum was the underutilization of federal programs designed to protect miners. Only a small percentage of eligible workers participate in health surveillance or exercise their rights under MSHA’s Part 90 program, which allows reassignment to lower-dust jobs. Barriers include fear of job loss, lack of awareness, and limited access to services.
The discussion also addressed gaps between federal black lung benefits and Social Security Disability programs, particularly for younger miners whose conditions may not meet current disability criteria despite severe impairment.
Throughout the event, speakers emphasized that black lung is entirely preventable with proper dust control and enforcement. Yet cases continue to rise, underscoring what many described as a failure of policy, oversight, and industry accountability.
Kaine closed by encouraging miners and their families to seek assistance through his office for individual claims and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing legislation aimed at protecting those who powered the nation’s energy economy.
For those in attendance, the message was clear: black lung is not a relic of the past, but a present and growing crisis in Southwest Virginia and across coal country.
