Residents of Libby, Montana, are up in arms over yet another asbestos-related issue. The residents of the community, long plagued with asbestos-related health issues like mesothelioma due to the presence of the asbestos-tainted vermiculite mines operated by W. R. Grace & Co., are now arguing that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency owes them $2 million because the agency demolished several contaminated buildings.

The buildings were owned by the city of Libby, and included an export facility used for storing and shipping asbestos-laden vermiculite. City Councilman D.C. Orr argues that the EPA should pay Libby $2 million in recompense for the buildings that Grace tore down at the behest of the EPA.

"I’m alleging fraud that deprives the people of Libby of the rightful restoration of (the city-owned property)," Orr said. "The city has received nothing."

Exposure to even a small amount of asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, the rare cancer of the abdominal cavity that affects organs and tissues lining the cavity. The cancer may take many years to develop. While sadly there is no cure, some treatments like chemo and radiotherapy may help some patients. In many cases, those diagnosed with mesothelioma are told that they may not survive for longer than a few months, with the average patient not expected to live much past 24 months.

EPA spokesman Ted Linnert responded to the claims of the residents of Libby by calling the matter "ancient history" and adding that the EPA considered the matter closed.

For EPA officials, the issue may be in the past, but the residents of Libby will continue to deal with the consequences of W.R. Grace’s carelessness for decades to come. Mesothelioma has a latency period of as many as fifty years, so individuals who were exposed to asbestos years ago may just now be experiencing symptoms of the disease. Additionally, residents may continue to be exposed, as not all of the harmful asbestos has been eliminated from Libby.

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