In a recent development, the Trump administration has decided to halt plans to terminate the leases for 34 Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) offices. MSHA, under the Department of Labor, is tasked with enforcing vital mine safety regulations. Earlier this year, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established by President Donald Trump and spearheaded by Elon Musk, aimed at reducing federal spending, which included closing down MSHA offices. Seven of those offices were located in Kentucky. This decision was projected to save approximately $18 million.
Elon Musk announced this week that he is stepping down from his role as a senior adviser. A spokesperson from the Labor Department confirmed Thursday that they are collaborating with the General Services Administration to ensure MSHA inspectors have adequate resources to perform their crucial duty of safeguarding miners by preventing fatalities, illnesses, and accidents within mines.
While some MSHA offices still appear on the DOGE list for potential closure, it remains unclear if those closures will proceed. Established by Congress in 1978, MSHA operates within the Labor Department. Originally, the agency was created because state inspectors were deemed too close to the industry to compel coal companies to enforce necessary safety measures. MSHA is mandated to conduct quarterly inspections at underground mines and semi-annual inspections at surface mines.
Jack Spadaro, a former mine safety investigator and environmental specialist, expressed relief at the news. According to Spadaro, the planned office closures would have forced MSHA inspectors to travel more extensively, complicating mine inspections. He highlighted the importance of inspectors being located near mining operations to adequately perform their duties.
An examination conducted in March by the Appalachian Citizensโ Law Center revealed that nearly 17,000 inspections occurred between January 2024 and February 2025, facilitated by MSHA staff at the targeted offices. Historically understaffed, MSHA has experienced a 27% decrease in personnel over a decade, which includes a significant decrease among enforcement staff, as stated by the law center.
Efforts are underway to preserve jobs within the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is under threat of losing 850 employees of its 1,000-member workforce due to budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration. A federal judge recently intervened to restore a health monitoring initiative for coal miners and canceled layoffs within NIOSHโs respiratory health division in West Virginia, responsible for diagnosing black lung disease among miners.
During a Congressional hearing on May 14, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the reversal of job cuts affecting around 330 NIOSH employees. That same day, multiple groups, including the United Mine Workers of America, filed lawsuits advocating for the reinstatement of all NIOSH personnel and their functions.
Vonda Robinson, vice president of the National Black Lung Association, expressed gratitude that the administration reconsidered its position, thereby preserving vital offices and ensuring the continued presence of mine inspectors. โWeโre committed to advancing and doing whatever it takes to shield coal miners from black lung disease and accidents,โ she asserted.