The materials our members produce are foundational, both literally and economically. Simultaneously, our members strive to maintain and advance the highest possible safety and health standards for miners and workers. Advocacy in this context is not simply about opposing or supporting specific rules. It is about building relationships and collaborative paths to help shape outcomes, so safety and operational viability move forward together. It encompasses:

• Technical collaboration with regulators
• Development of industry best practices
• Legal action when necessary
• Continuous monitoring of regulatory systems
• Direct support for members navigating compliance challenges

As seen below, there are many examples highlighting NSSGA’s impactful work influencing policy beyond Congress.

Advocacy in Action: The 2024 Silica Rule

NSSGA’s regulatory advocacy focuses on ensuring that regulations and standards are:

• Highly protective of worker health and safety
• Grounded in sound science and established industrial hygiene practices
• Practical and feasible for implementation across diverse operations
• Reflective of the industry’s longstanding efforts to improve safety

Few recent regulatory issues illustrate NSSGA’s multifaceted advocacy approach better than the ongoing discussions and litigation surrounding MSHA’s 2024 Silica Rule.

Respirable crystalline silica has long been recognized as a significant occupational health hazard, and the aggregates industry has spent decades implementing controls to reduce exposure. NSSGA supports efforts to protect workers from silica-related illnesses. At the same time, NSSGA has played a central role in ensuring that regulatory approaches are workable and grounded in established industrial hygiene practices.

It is well-known that NSSGA is part of the coalition that challenged the 2024 MSHA Silica Rule in the Eighth Circuit, but we are deeply involved in advocating for improvements to the Rule outside of court as well.

Over the past year, NSSGA has:

• Participated in meetings with MSHA to provide detailed feedback on the rule
• Advocated for provisions that reflect real-world mining conditions and processes
• Emphasized the importance of industrial hygiene principles and existing industry controls
• Worked to ensure the rule aligns with both health objectives and operational feasibility

The NSSGA-MSHA Alliance: A Model of Collaborative Advocacy

One of the clearest examples of advocacy beyond Capitol Hill is the ongoing Alliance between NSSGA and MSHA. Rather than operating solely in a traditional regulator-regulated framework, this partnership emphasizes collaboration, transparency and shared problem-solving.

As part of the Alliance, a working group of producer members meet at least two times a year in person to identify priority safety concerns and actionable solutions. These efforts are not theoretical – they are focused on issues that directly affect workers on the ground. Currently, the Alliance is working with MSHA to update its widely used Guarding presentation originally published in 2010. Member safety and health teams have reviewed the presentation and offered suggestions for out-of-date text or photos, as well as additional, more modernized examples and guidance.

NSSGA and MSHA are collaborating to compile and promote modernized best practices, demonstrating how our work is not just about regulations, but about how we can help provide resources and guidance to produce positive safety outcomes.

Monitoring the Regulatory Landscape

Advocacy does not end with major rulemakings. NSSGA closely monitors a wide range of regulatory and administrative developments that can affect its members.

For example, in the fall of 2025, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC) issued a decision eliminating the long-standing Mathies test used to evaluate Significant and Substantial (S&S) citations. In February, NSSGA joined with the Essential Minerals Association to file an amicus brief to highlight the impact this change will have on the industry and why the Mathies test should be reinstated.

Additionally, NSSGA has been monitoring recent staffing challenges at the FMSHRC which will likely lead to a growing backlog of contested cases. Such delays can create uncertainty for operators and complicate compliance efforts.

In response, NSSGA has:

• Raised awareness of the issue
• Engaged with policymakers and stakeholders
• Worked to support solutions to fill empty Commission and Administrative Law Judge positions.
   

Supporting Members on Enforcement and Compliance

NSSGA’s advocacy also extends directly to its members’ day-to-day interactions with regulators.

NSSGA plays an important role in:

• Facilitating relationships between operators and MSHA personnel
• Providing guidance on how to address enforcement matters
• Helping members navigate complex regulatory requirements

By fostering constructive dialogue between industry and regulators, NSSGA helps reduce misunderstandings, improve compliance outcomes and promote a culture of safety.

As the aggregates industry continues to play a vital role in building and maintaining the nation’s infrastructure, the importance of this type of advocacy will only grow.

By working collaboratively with agencies like MSHA, engaging in regulatory processes and supporting its members at every level, NSSGA is helping to ensure the industry remains safe, healthy and productive.

Originally published in the September/October 2026 REVIEW Magazine.