Labor Dept. cuts levels of allowable coal dust

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration said Wednesday it is cutting the amount of coal dust allowed in coal mines in an effort to help reduce black lung disease.

“Today we advance a very basic principle: you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your life for your livelihood,” Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez said. “But that’s been the fate of more than 76,000 miners who have died at least in part because of black lung since 1968.”