20 CFR § 722.1 - Purpose.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t20/s722.1"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "20 CFR § 722.1 - Purpose."
title_number: 20
title_name: "Employees' Benefits"
section_number: "722.1"
section_name: "Purpose."
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED"
part_number: "722"
part_name: "CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING WHETHER STATE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAWS PROVIDE ADEQUATE COVERAGE FOR PNEUMOCONIOSIS AND LISTING OF APPROVED STATE LAWS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "5 U.S.C. 301, Reorganization Plan No. 6 of 1950, 15 FR 3174, 30 U.S.C. 901  921, 932, 936; 33 U.S.C. 901  Secretary's Order 7-87, 52 FR 48466, Employment Standards Order No. 90-02."
regulatory_source: "65 FR 80053, Dec. 20, 2000, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "722"
---


# 722.1 Purpose.

Section 421 of the Black Lung Benefits Act provides that a claim for benefits based on the total disability or death of a coal miner due to pneumoconiosis must be filed under a State workers' compensation law where such law provides adequate coverage for pneumoconiosis. A State workers' compensation law may be deemed to provide adequate coverage only when it is included on a list of such laws maintained by the Secretary. The purpose of this part is to set forth the procedures and criteria for inclusion on that list, and to provide that list.