PITTSBURGH — State and local leaders are continuing to push for President Donald Trump’s administration to scale back its efforts to cut federal jobs, specifically those affecting miners.
The lieutenant governor and other officials were in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, calling on the federal government to prioritize mine safety.
The Trump administration previously announced plans to cut workers at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the Pittsburgh research lab that helps ensure worker safety.
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“With these cuts, the Trump administration isn’t just putting federal workers’ jobs at risk. He’s putting thousands of miners in danger,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. "The Trump administration’s cuts have real consequences."
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The state Department of Environmental Protection this month sent a letter to the health and human services secretary, seeking to keep the institute open so it can continue its research.
“Closing this office would hamstring state, federal and industry efforts to keep them safe,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. "And our work with the Pittsburgh research lab helps find new ways to make sure that our people are safe, and to eliminate hazards underground."
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