A 1968 underground explosion that killed 78 coal miners in Farmington, West Virginia, was a flashpoint for reform after years of fatalities and a growing awareness of black lung disease. The Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 was the toughest worker health and safety law of its time and ushered in a new culture in mining. As he signed the new law, President Richard Nixon declared that it “represents a crucially needed step forward in the protection of America’s coal miners.” The law:
