An inactive Vermont asbestos mine is running up a big tab. Though the mine has been closed for years, piles of asbestos-laden rock remain exposed to pollute the surrounding environment and endanger the health of those living nearby. Right now, the estimated cost of the cleanup is between $210 and $250-million.
To recover some of the bill, the state of Vermont is suing the Vermont Asbestos Group, a former owner of the mine. Ed French, a lawyer for the company, claims that they have no money and little assets to offer other than a small warehouse in Morrisville, and that the government will have little to gain by filing suit against them. Lawyers for the state acknowledge that they will probably not regain all their losses, but hope to lessen the public burden.
Regardless of who pays, this cleanup is an undeniable necessity. Last year, the EPA spent nearly $2 million to stop the mine waste from damaging the nearby streams and wetlands. In addition, a study by the Vermont Health Department shows that communities near the mine have more instances of lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers divx