In West Virginia, mining jobs have been declining for years, and there have been few other options to make a living. The Appalachian Beekeeping Collective is hoping to help turn that around.
The review comes in response to an NPR and Frontline investigation that revealed the failure of government regulators to identify and prevent dangerous conditions.
The federal agency that certifies physicians who diagnose black lung confirms it was not consulted, while medical groups call for repeal of the state law that they say will hurt sick coal miners.
Though the marshmallow-chocolate-graham cracker treat began a century ago as a coal-miner's snack, it is still made by the same Chattanooga bakery and has since become a cultural icon of the South.
The Affordable Care Act made it faster and easier for a coal miner with black lung to get compensation benefits. Many in coal country want that provision retained, even if the larger law is repealed.
Voters in coal country overwhelmingly chose Donald Trump. They liked his promises to create jobs, even if they didn't like his other rhetoric. Now, they're waiting to see if coal can make a comeback.
In response to an NPR investigation that shows 10 times the number of cases as currently reported, members of Congress are asking three federal agencies to work together to obtain an accurate count.
A fund guaranteeing health coverage and pensions to retired mine workers is about to run dry. Congress has been reluctant to pick up the tab. Democrats from coal country say it's time to act.
