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NIOSH Cuts in West Virginia Spark Fears for Worker Safety

by Krystal

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In the heart of West Virginia’s coal country, concern is growing after sweeping budget cuts under the Trump administration have shut down key safety programs at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Marion Tennant, a retired coal miner, recalls how NIOSH once provided free black lung screenings. He was screened after graduating high school in 1974 and entering the mines — one of the only jobs available in the area. Now, with the program suspended, he fears for the next generation.

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“Before young workers realize what’s happening to their bodies, they’re going to have black lung,” Tennant said. “And the numbers are going to rise.”

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The cuts have already hit hard. Over 200 positions at the NIOSH facility in Morgantown were eliminated on April 1, including scientists, safety inspectors, and public health experts. Among them was Dr. Catherine Blackwood, who researched mold exposure and other workplace hazards.

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“I’m angry that we are just being cast aside,” said Blackwood. “Without NIOSH, we are all in danger. Everyone faces risks at work, and this agency helped protect us.”

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Though some roles were briefly reinstated, federal officials confirmed the administration still plans to shut down all NIOSH operations in the coming months. That leaves the future of essential programs, including miner health screenings, in question.

Asked about the cuts, a Health and Human Services spokesperson said the administration was focused on “cutting wasteful bureaucracy” and eliminating “duplicative administrative roles.”

Blackwood pushed back against that claim. “The work at NIOSH was not wasteful or redundant,” she said. “No one else in the world was doing this research.”

West Virginia remains a political stronghold for former President Trump, who won 70% of the state’s vote in the 2024 election. But Tennant, now retired, said he didn’t support Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris.

“He’s trying to bring back coal-fired power, but he’s also cutting the agency that protects coal miners,” Tennant said.

In 2023, the NIOSH budget totaled $363 million. That same year, workplace injuries and illnesses cost Americans roughly $176 billion, according to the National Safety Council. Experts warn that without NIOSH, those costs — and the risks — could grow.

“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that gutting NIOSH will lead to deaths,” Blackwood said.

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