Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Asbestos HUB

Asbestos HUB

DHHS To Provide $6M Grant For Libby Residents

Posted: 25 May 2009 05:10 PM PDT

Now that the jury has acquitted W.R. Grace & Company of charges of exposing residents in Libby to asbestos that killed hundreds, Sen. Max Baucus of Montana announced a $6 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services to provide health care for residents suffering from asbestos-related diseases.

According to Baucus, the grant is a first for federal government money provided for medical care for people in Libby who fell ill after exposure to tremolite asbestos from W.R. Grace's vermiculite mine. The money also helps lay the groundwork for a future public health emergency declaration, Baucus said, which would authorize cleanup in Libby homes and require the federal government to provide screenings and health care for residents with asbestos-related sicknesses.

"You have no idea how important this is to me because I want to bring justice to the people of Libby," Baucus said. "This is huge; this is amazing. We've been fighting for this for so long."

Too bad the ineffectual federal prosecutors in the W.R. Grace case didn’t feel the same compunction.

W.R. Grace owned and operated a vermiculite asbestos mine in Libby for decades. But the mine also released tremolite asbestos which sickened people, even with no mining connections. Hundreds died and 2,000 more fell ill from asbestos-related complications.
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