Minnesota - The problems that have plagued the Minnesota mining study may finally be resolved. Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who had threatened to veto the bill that would secure funding for the study, agreed to a compromise that will allow it to go ahead. The Minnesota Senate has now unanimously approved the funding for the study.

The state senate has granted preliminary approval last week. Now that the final vote has approved the study it will move back to the House. DFL Majority Leader Tony Sertich has indicated that once the funding is approved the study will begin quickly.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty had originally threatened to veto the bill because he believed the initial plan to fund the study using money from workers’ compensation special fund would drive up insurance costs for businesses.

Pawlenty believed the study should have been funded via the state’s taxpayers, using funds from a state agency called Iron Range Resources. However, some opponents to the use of the workers’ compensation fund believed it would be more appropriate to use Iron Range Resources funds because mesothelioma cases have been reported only in that region.

Opponents of the Iron Range Resources fund believed that using money from that source would unfairly impact on taxpayers who live in that area.

The new compromise on the funding will see the $4.9 million taken from a fund administered by the Department of Commerce. The fund is running at a surplus and removing funds is therefore unlikely to impact on businesses.

The source of the funds is an Assigned Risk Plan that acts as an insurance fund for companies that are unable to get workers’ compensation in the open market. The fund has a surplus of $41 million.

The Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board has contributed $250,000 to the study. Tony Sertich said it would be unfair to ask the board to contribute further, and that state funds were an appropriate source because the research was an issue of statewide significance.

The University of Minnesota has attempted to obtain funding for similar research in the past, but has never received enough funding to complete an extensive study. Once the new study begins it will attempt to determine why taconite miners are developing malignant mesothelioma at such a high rate, including determining the source of the substance that is causing the cancer. The study will also attempt to evaluate the level of risk for miners’ families, and the general public.

Updates on the research will be provided annually, as well as recommendations on measures to reduce exposure to cancer-causing agents.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 1st, 2008 at 4:42 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Minnesota. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.