Feds halt study of potential link between surface mining and health problems
The
OSM said the reason for stopping work on the study was because it has begun a review of all its grants and cooperative agreements worth more than
The announcement raised concern among people who oppose mountaintop mining that the move is a prelude to scrapping the study altogether.
"This was something that we had considered and feared given the change in administrations," said
That concern is rooted in President
"It's infuriating that Trump would halt this study on the health effects of mountaintop removal coal mining, research that people in
Administration officials have not said anything publicly about scrapping the study.
Savage said she hopes OSM's decision does not mean the end of the study.
The study involves
A number of prior studies have shown that mountaintop mining is associated with higher rates of cancer, heart disease and other health problems in
However, the coal industry has fiercely disputed the studies, and a 2012 industry-funded study by a
OSM said when it announced the National Academies review that a panel of experts would go through "a growing amount of academic research that relates to possible correlations between increased health risks as a result of living near surface coal mine operations."
The review could have a significant impact on the debate about the potential link between mining and health, identifying gaps in the research and perhaps helping settle some of the questions.
The panel had planned meetings in Hazard and
The meeting Monday in Hazard begins at
"The National Academies believes this is an important study and we stand ready to resume it as soon as the
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