Arvin Hanshaw, of Summersville, W.Va., left, and Randy Lawrence, president of the Kanawha County Black Lung Association, right, put their hats back on after praying during a rally protesting the government's failure to limit exposure to deadly silica in mines, outside the U.S. Department of Labor, Oct. 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

OAK HILL, W.Va. — Deep in the hills of West Virginia, coal mining and the dangers that come with it have been a part of families’ lives for generations. Death and tragedy are woven into history, but there’s also a fierce legacy of miners fighting for — and winning — protections that have benefitted workers nationwide.

As black lung rates rise among workers — including those in their 30s and 40s — forced to dig through more rock filled with

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