Examining Libby’s so-called Public Health Emergency
admin | Jun 22, 2009 | Comments 9
Montana Senator Max Baucus (center) with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson (left) and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, right, at a press conference announcing Public Health Emergency for Libby.
by Paul Peters
When the EPA first tried to declare a public health emergency in Libby, Montana in 2002, they were particularly concerned about Zonolite, a type of attic insulation from vermiculite mined in Libby which contains Libby amphibole asbestos.
Zonolite is a product that was manufactured by W.R. Grace, the same company once accused of knowingly exposing the people Libby to deadly asbestos. Zonolite can be found in approximately 30 million homes and buildings in the U.S. It was also processed at several sites around the country.
Furthermore, tremolite asbestos, one of the main constituents of the asbestos type found in Zonolite, occurs in residential areas like El Dorado Hills, Calif., and has been found on Oak Street Beach in Chicago.
In 2002, Grace, with help from the White House Office of Budget Management (OMB), stymied efforts to declare an emergency. At the time, the EPA wanted to remove Zonolite attic insulation from Libby homes. To remove a commercial product like Zonolite from homes and businesses, the EPA was required by law to declare an emergency.
Although the EPA announced in 2002 that it would remove attic insulation from Libby homes, Grace and the OMB had stopped the emergency declaration and kept the Zonolite name out of the press. Click here to read more about the first attempt at an emergency declaration.
Although the EPA finally declared a public health emergency in Libby last week, the word Zonolite was never uttered, or written.
None of the official documentation accompanying the decision (which you can find here), including the press release, mention Zonolite.
EPA head Lisa Jackson did not use the product name in her press conference on the emergency declaration, although she did say that, “Today EPA is launching a national education program focused on vermiculite insulation to ensure the continued education and safety of all Americans.”
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Careful, there is a distinct possibility that the insulation material used in millions of homes….. some a portion of it or all of it….. may not contain enough fiber to lead to disease. This is what has been found thus far in investigating this material. It would be a terrible shame to go off chasing after all these homes, financially and energetically, when these homes may represent a danger less than environmental Chrysotile asbestos.
Of course this is precisely the sort of thing that EPA excels at. That is chasing smoke and never finding the fire. There are literally hundreds of Chrysotile sites that were cleaned up or abandoned by EPA over these many years that Libby exposures were occurring. During that time spending 100% of the allotted money to save not one single human being. We do not want that to happen again. There are plenty of demonstrable death scenarios today stemming from the presence of Tremolite asbestos. EPA is currently ignoring these places as they ignored Libby for all those years. If we are to send EPA off on a potential wild goose chase that may not end for many years and hundreds of millions of dollars, we must be absolutely certain, because they won’t actually know themselves.
Terry Trent
Greetings ya all.Health Emergency…I’ll be damned,damn!!!BUT…..What does it mean??? Could it mean a end to any more human beings moving to Libby(since 1999) by being told/sold that Libby is a safe place?Does it mean ALL in Libby who NEED medical of any kind can NOW have help from having to file Medical Bankruptcy,as I have because NO ONE would help pay for my oxygen.This May I now own my own machine and could of bought 3 of them.Thanks but no thanks Card/LAMP/Baucus/Tester/etc etc who I begged to help me pay for the air I need to live.Maybe just maybe since NOW EPA said this was long over due, like 10 years over due that WE ALL can be REIMBURSED for 10 years of what is being paid today.Sure would help.And when I talked to Christy of PEER today as she assured me they will ride rickshaw over the Health Emergency and I told her that IF the trees are not a issue and the River banks are not a issue then all this millions will be spent on the dead horse.Nothing will be clean nor safe as with the 10 years and 160 MILLION WASTED since 1999 for NOTHING!!!! MORE contamination AND exposure created since 1999 and Nothing is clean nor safe.I truly do not think Libby will be clean or safe and after 5 years and hundreds of millions AGAIN wasted that Libby WILL be a dead town.It is a dead town…what am I talking about hummm.silly me.I also told PEER that thinning contracts are being awarded to log/cut the forest and the trees are full of asbestos(U of M testing)and if they care about employees, they best stop this from happening.I already reminder Tester and Baucus that the 20 mile radius from the mine site means all within that radius contains Tremolite asbestos fibers where NO GROUND forces will be used if a fire happens within that 20 mile “asbestos zone”, ALL will be fought by air.Too costly to suit the fire fighters in haz mat suits.Unreal huh.Anyway my friends,Obama speaks the words LIBBY MT and knows the story/truth. Just as Bush/Clinton did and did nothing to stop the deadly exposure and now…a new day to a horrid past for a better future for those we leave behind.Isn’t that what we are suppose to be doing???? I know what I have done and all of you have done and tomorrow my friends will be better than today…one life at a time.Take care and God Bless.Talk soon.
[...] Asbestos Watch on Zonolite: In 2002, Grace, with help from the White House Office of Budget Management (OMB), stymied efforts to declare an emergency. At the time, the EPA wanted to remove Zonolite attic insulation from Libby homes. To remove a commercial product like Zonolite from homes and businesses, the EPA was required by law to declare an emergency. Although the EPA announced in 2002 that it would remove attic insulation from Libby homes, Grace and the OMB had stopped the emergency declaration and kept the Zonolite name out of the press. Click here to read more about the first attempt at an emergency declaration. Although the EPA finally declared a public health emergency in Libby last week, the word Zonolite was never uttered, or written. None of the official documentation accompanying the decision (which you can find here), including the press release, mention Zonolite. EPA head Lisa Jackson did not use the product name in her press conference on the emergency declaration, although she did say that, “Today EPA is launching a national education program focused on vermiculite insulation to ensure the continued education and safety of all Americans.” [...]
We do not need nor want the same old shit EPA Jackson,Baucus,Tester and ALL the rest of you.Your failure to warn and inform and protect the people/citizens of Libby in your so called Health Emergency.WHY??? Who said Libby is safe? Who told you to not address the people of Libby specially those new folks being lied to that Libby is safe when ALL of you know this is a deadly lie.Baucus and Tester and all of you speaking in front of the country with the Photo of Les Skramsted need to be ashamed because you Max of all people are also apart and aware of the continued deadly exposure since 1990 and today you still sell Libby as safe.Les wanted you and all of you to stop/STOP, the killings of any more people moving to Libby and all you have done is lie. Those lies ARE killing more people.You need to go Max and ALL the rest of you who downplay this deadly exposure and fail in telling the truth.A Health Emergency MEANS STOP KILLING MORE PEOPLE NOW….You forgot to mention that.Would you like to explain why Mr.UPWRGRACEASS….
With my Libby education, I wonder, when WR disGrace gave Libby $250 MILLION to clean Libby and EPA is only giving Libby $160 Million of that/Libby’s…then where and who is getting the remainder of those Millions.If not for clean up of Libby then how bout giving the poor sick and dying people of Libby some cash???EPA has stolen enough MILLIONS and if a money trial is ever followed in Libby Mt…well,lets just say alot of jails/prisons would be full.I am serious…When the $160 Million is gone and more will be needed,where will that come from? Oh why should I care huh? I guess I’m just bored and lonely and need some one to rant to.Who cares huh??? Take care and Libby sucks and I want my Libby Fix, Max Baucus…..
I would like to share this story with you in light of the Libby Health Emergency being declared.
In 2000, a public comment period to address citizens concerns about exposure and asbestos in Libby,this being after we all were told the truth as to why we are sick and dying.Remember Libby people were told in 1999.
ATSDR was doing this survey and one of my concerns I wanted addressed was:My concern for pregnant women and exposure to unborn from Mothers exposure.The responds I got from ATSDR was that “No exposure to fetus from Mother exposure”…This statement was made public by ATSDR and this was what the people of Libby were told.
Further investigation by me, found that ATSDR did a study years ago and reported findings of asbestos fibers in dead fetuses and states a Dr.Hague did the study and found asbestos in dead fetus by exposure to the Mother.
So, I just wanted it known that ATSDR along with EPA and Libby have done nothing but lie to the people knowing the truth will/is killing more people as Libby continues to be sold as safe.The seriousness of this deadly exposure has been knowingly down played since 1999 and this must stop.I was hoping a Health Emergency would of at least told the people to stay away from Libby…until it is safe…if ever it can be made safe…it is the children that MUST be the priority to protect.These liers have to go.Thank you.Atleast be held accountable….
Hi Paul. Just in.Channel 4 news KXLY out of Spokane Wash. are now testing soil of a process plant that took Libby asbestos.In the article one EPA lier said no one seems to be effected from this and a lawyer(from Spokane) said he represents people exposed and dying/dead and said that he don’t know anyone who is not effected by this site/exposure.Looks like another EPA lie.We shall see.Looks funny all the hazmat suits and the people standing around wondering what the hell is going on.Well, this is No#2 that will become a Health Emergency and only 238 processing plants around this country to go!!! Can’t do one and not the other in this WR disGrace holocaust.Take care my friend…
Hi Terry and all.To answer your question Terry, at a CAG meeting Mr.EPA know nothing Paul Parnard stated that,when asked by me, that a detect AND non-detect IS anywhere between 0 and 1 BILLION asbestos fibers in ONE gram of soil.THIS is what is being excepted as safe, specially AFTER EPA put deadlier soil in place of what was taken out. And of course NOW over 400 yards are being redone.Waste that money on me damn it…And all them home owners were given a clean bill of health.Gee, I wonder who’s lie that is….And with U of M finding 530 Million fibers in ONE gram of bark…AGAIN this dead horse will never be made right/safe.We all know this.Course, Terry, with scientist(joke) and asbestos expert Paul Parnard making this statement we now know he doesn’t know crap except how to lie and fool a town.He sure did a good job of that.Libby is full of sheeple…still.Take care and chat soon.
Asbestos Kills – Why is it still not Banned in the USA- 126 other countries have banned it. We still mine it and import it. Most Mesothelioma victims die within a year of being diagnosed. That is one reason protest do not gather momentum. The other is the grief stricken families know little or nothing about this desease. The Medical community has only a few Drs specializing in Meso and clinical trials have been little more the experiments using toxic drugs and errendous surgeries that treat patients like lab rats, and then they die. The trial lawyers don’t want change, chemical companies don’t want to protect their people . What is up with a Government that does not care about human life.Follow the money and the pay offs go to our top Government officials. W.R. Grace got away with killing a town in Montana. Our own defense department go away with killing sailors and ship builders. Please write your SEnators and Congress people- There is a Bill that took six years to past the House of representative and is now being stone walled. The Bruce Vento Ban Asbestos and fund Mesothelioma research –
Thanks
LW Davis – Victim