Trump to reconsider part of silica dust rule
The Trump administration says it will reconsider aspects of a rule that aims to protect miners from exposure to harmful silica dust on the job.
In a court filing last week, the Trump administration said that the Labor Department plans to “reconsider” portions of the rule that are the subjects of an ongoing legal fight.
It did not specify what exactly it plans to reconsider about the rule, and a spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions from The Hill.
The rule in question was issued by the Biden administration in 2024. It lowered the legal limit for miners’ exposure to silica while on the job.
Exposure to this dust can cause lung cancer, kidney cancer and other lung diseases such as emphysema and silicosis.
The Biden administration’s rule also requires mine operators to use engineering controls that reduce or prevent exposure to silica dust as the primary way to meet the standard.
And it required mine operators to set up medical surveillance programs and provide health examinations for miners.
After the Trump administration’s latest filing, industry groups said in court that they are “optimistic” that the Trump administration’s action could resolve their issues with the rule.
However, they also said they are “left in substantial uncertainty” because the administration “does not say what its rulemaking will cover, nor how long its rulemaking might take.”
