In a town hall meeting on Monday of last week, Libby, Montana residents learned that asbestos levels in the air are low enough that residents do not have to worry about breathing in the air. The news is the result of a two-year long study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency in order to ensure that asbestos levels are significantly lower than when the Libby Mine, which was owned by W.R Grace, was in operation.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency a total of eighteen separate locations were tested for air quality between October 2006 and June 2008. As a result, EPA determined that the chances of developing an asbestos-caused cancer due to breathing the air in Libby are about “one in a million.”

Asbestos is a known cause of a number of diseases including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Because such diseases typically have such a long latency period it is very difficult to find effective treatment options for those diagnosed. In many cases by the time an asbestos-caused disease is discovered it is already well into its advanced stages of development.

Despite this news, Libby residents remain skeptical, as over 350 residents have died from an asbestos-related disease in the town mountain town. Countless more are currently suffering from asbestosis or mesothelioma cancer, and as funding for medical clinics in Libby specifically for asbestos-disease sufferers runs out, the outlook for these individuals seems grim.

The W.R. Grace trial is slated to begin next week, with Judge Donald Molloy presiding. Molloy, a Montana native and former member of the U.S. Navy, denied a ruling from a victim’s rights group to allow Libby residents to attend the trial and provide witness testimony. Last week, Judge Molloy stated that the residents of Libby are not “victims of a crime,” despite the proven negligence of W.R. Grace, which ultimately led to the town’s serious asbestos disease situation.

Judge Molloy’s comments have angered Libby residents, and a victim’s rights group has filed an appeal that would potentially permit Libby residents to enter the courtroom during the trial.

The EPA testing was conducted using chrysotile asbestos, rather than amphibole or vermiculite, which are actually present in the town of Libby. Further testing, according to EPA, is necessary to determine if any form of asbestos is actually “safer” than another.

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