Emails Suggest Political Interference in Feds Ending Mining-Health Study
Friday, June 15, 2018
CHARLESTON, W. Va. – New evidence suggests political pressure had a role in the U.S. Department of the Interior's sudden cancellation of a major study on the health impacts of mountaintop-removal mining.
According to a newly released Inspector General's letter to Congress, the Interior Department had no clear reason for ending the research a year ago.
But email messages obtained by writer Jimmy Tobias at the magazine Pacific Standard show a political appointee pushed for the cancellation after meeting with industry lobbyists.
At the time, the agency cited the cost of the study. To Tobias, that's starting to look like an excuse.
"At least not yet, there's no smoking gun," he said. "But I think the evidence is mounting that this was a political decision and that potentially, it was made to benefit the mining industry."
The official has not responded to questions from Tobias or other reporters. The study began after a West Virginia University researcher found higher rates of cancer, birth defects and other illnesses in people living near the large strip mines.
Tobias also gained access to records that showed who met with the Trump appointee who pushed to end the study. He counted more than ten times as many visits with industry representatives as with citizens or conservation groups.
"There was a pretty massive discrepancy, I would say," Tobias said. "More than 120 meetings with industry groups, oil and gas industry, the mining industry, lobbyists; whereas I counted fewer than ten meetings with conservation groups."
About $1 million had been budgeted for the study. According to the Inspector General, nearly half of that went to waste when the Interior Department canceled the research before it was finished.
get more stories like this via email
Health and Wellness
Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…
Social Issues
Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …
Social Issues
Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …
Environment
New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …
Social Issues
Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …
Social Issues
Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…