Doggedly investigating and reporting on coal, this reporter and his team are finally getting results

Howard Berkes' investigations have helped change coal
mining. (Photo by Wanda Gayle, Mt. State Spotlight)

Why and when federal officials pay attention to a problem may hinge on one thing -- who reports on it and how they do their job. In Appalachia, Howard Berkes has been covering coal for 38 years, bringing awareness, attention, and government action to miners' health issues. "The coal-producing regions of central Appalachia are at the center of an epidemic of advanced black lung cases among coal miners," reports Mason Adams of Mountain State Spotlight in West Virginia. "New reporting by a retired NPR reporter [Howard Berkes] has shown how federal officials underestimated the sheer number of cases across West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and southwestern Virginia, and now regulators seem to be responding."

At issue is silica dust produced from coal and quartz mining, causing exposed miners to develop an advanced version of black lung disease known as progressive massive fibrosis. Responding to the increase and severity of black lung cases in Appalachia, Berkes' coal beat has uncovered data and propelled change. "He worked with NPR and the PBS series "Frontline" and spent more than a year investigating fears that federal regulators and mining companies were failing to protect coal miners from toxic dust," May explains. "He and his team obtained documents and data showing federal mine safety officials had evidence of the danger dating back more than 20 years, but never addressed it.

"Lately, the metallurgical coal industry has been ramping up production to meet global demand, and experts predict even more advanced black lung cases will appear. After years of inaction, though, federal officials are addressing the issue," May reports. "Over the summer, the Mine Safety and Health Administration proposed a rule intended to protect coal miners from exposure to silica dust. By the time the comment period closed in September, the draft rule had attracted 157 comments."

Berkes is part of a new investigation into advanced black lung cases co-published by Public Health Watch, Louisville Public Media and Mountain State Spotlight. Click here to read Berkes' Q&A with "Inside Appalachia" host Mason Adams on what that investigation has found.