#BlackLungKills
Black lung disease has reached epidemic levels in coal country. The Centers for Disease Control calls the resurgence of black lung disease "clearly one of the worst industrial medicine disasters that's ever been described."
Despite the epidemic, a lack of congressional action has put miners' federal black lung benefits at risk. Coal miners and their families are fighting back by organizing black lung associations and holding rallies at the state and national levels.
Appalachian Citizens' Law Center has represented thousands of miners and widows fighting for federal black lung benefits since its founding in 2001 in addition to advocating for miners' health and safety. The nonprofit law center provides free legal services to sick miners and their families who are seeking benefits and supports local black lung association chapters in addition to advocating for miners' health and safety.
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The Appalachian Citizens' Law Center is a nonprofit law center that fights for justice in the Central Appalachian coalfields by representing citizens and communities adversely affected by extractive fossil fuel industries and practices. Since our beginning in 2002, our organization has carried out its mission via three distinct avenues: litigation, advocacy, and organizing. ACLC represents and advocates on behalf of miners and widows in federal black lung and mine safety cases, represents individuals and communities struggling with the effects of environmental degradation caused by the coal industry, and facilitates coalition-building and organizing around moving our region towards a just economic transition.
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