In light of the recent "War on Coal," conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency and groups like the Sierra Club and the Rainforest Action Network and numerous others, it is vital to verify that these studies are operating outside of politics. The findings may very well be robust and objective, but there are some glaring discrepancies in the studies reported by NPR and CPI.
The recent alarming study of surface miners in 2002 "found an illness rate of under 2 percent and a rate of advanced disease of 0.1 percent. In the current study, levels were five times higher."
In another recent study highlighted by NPR and CPI, former Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) chief Davitt McAteer "led a team of investigators who conducted an independent probe of the April 5, 2010, explosion that killed 29 miners at Upper Big Branch." Aside from investigating the explosion, the team hired Dr. Robert Cohen, MD, F.C.C.P to review the autopsies of the workers specifically for prevalence of Black Lung Disease. It was unclear why the team did not just ask the West Virginia Medical Examiner to look for the disease.
The final report revealed that an autopsy of the bodies showed that a shocking "71 percent of [miners] show evidence of CWP [Coal workers' Pneumoconiosis]."
In another twist to this story, the study by Davitt McAteer was held in conjunction with Wheeling Jesuit University, and an ongoing criminal investigation claims that fraud took place involving millions of dollars of federal grants.
Interestingly, Robert Cohen, MD, F.C.C.P, who was hired to conduct the review of the autopsies for presence of the disease, is not too fond of the coal industry and is on a local news report, (at around 1:40), saying he is "overjoyed" over the closure of two coal plants.
Furthermore, in an article for the "Chicago Clean Power Coalition," Cohen stated, "We cannot continue putting our children at risk because of these dirty, old coal plants." Is there a conflict of interest in using a physician to conduct a study who is clearly biased against the coal industry?
Of course the studies may be perfectly legitimate, but due to the political climate surrounding the coal industry, these investigations warrant scrutiny.
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Comments: 45
There is ALWAYS a conflict of interest whenever the FOX gets to guard the CHICKENS.
The current media and 'academic' environment seems to be more about 'good intentions' and no so much about expanding knowledge.
A good example of good intention rather than added information. Radon is a carcinogen, it has been document for mine health hazards. However, when the EPA or others talk about the hazards, bot about dosage nor do they every offer a map showing the actual thoat and lung cancer cases distribution. With all the concern and controls (all homes have to be tested for radon) you would think that the cases would be in residential areas versus mines, but they never show it. It has been several years (before the EPA regulations and the house testing) since I have seen such a map, the one I saw showed the concentrations of case was in mining areas not in cities. It was about 'good intentions' not about accurate information.
That is one of my test of a person's ethics.
Therefore, it’s no surprise to read that some non-important green would be activists are come out with all this nonsense.
If miners are suffering from Pneumoconiosis in this day and age then it’s a disgrace. Not because they are working on the coal face but because good health and safety regulations are not in place.
I come from a City in the UK that saw most of its male population suffer and die from this disease, it was so common that when a male person died in Stoke on Trent in the 40s and 50s and to some extent in the 60s the City Coroner when a person died would just put on the death certificate!! Course of Death Pneumoconiosis.
The City I came from had two industry's the main one was the Pottery Industry coming a close second was the mining industry both because of the fine dust that produced Pottery and Coal on a large scale had workers that suffered and died from this deadly disease.
Stoke on Trent in those days was well known as the most dirty City in the UK with the most deaths from this disease. In the 60 a concerted effort was made in both industries to clean up its act and by putting in place better health and safety both industry's cleaned up their act.
The mining industry in my home City has long gone we no longer have mines but in the period before those mines closed, we saw a dramatic drop in fatality's from this disease only the older miners who died have been diagnosed with Pneumoconiosis and when I say older I mean the ones who are dying who are in their mid-80s so the clean-up with good health and safety measures have worked.
Don't anyone tell me that its coal that is killing miners, if miners have been found with Pneumoconiosis in today’s environment it’s the fault of any health and safety measures that are in place, or I should say the LACK of such measurers.
And another thing while I have this bee in my bonnet, if anyone would be environmentalist says us that we are living in dirty city's they are either lying or they have got their information wrong, because in today’s ultra-modern World all City's in the UK and the U.S are far cleaner than they were forty years ago.
Coal is king and we should make good use of it, like oil it makes our economy strong, it gives us cheap energy that we all need to keep our industry's running its far better than these activist traitors and malcontents in our midst would have us all believe. So I say this to all you green activists who would see the demise of our nations! Go **** yourselves, I stick my fingers right in your faces with all the contempt that I can muster you deserve it.
there is a concerted effort by these malcontents to ruin every bit of the Free World economy and coal is just another commodity just as oil is to beat the more sensible of us about the head to make us all submit to their ill thought out agendas
I submit it is not about the environment - and I think people are really starting to get that.
Don't anyone tell me that its coal that is killing miners, if miners have been found with Pneumoconiosis in today’s environment it’s the fault of any health and safety measures that are in place, or I should say the LACK of such measurers. I think the measures in place are working. I am frankly concerned with the integrity of the data, particularly when you have a physician such as the anti-coal activist as I mention above.
Coal is king and we should make good use of it, like oil it makes our economy strong, it gives us cheap energy that we all need to keep our industry's running its far better than these activist traitors and malcontents in our midst would have us all believe. So I say this to all you green activists who would see the demise of our nations! Go **** yourselves, I stick my fingers right in your faces with all the contempt that I can muster you deserve it. Too bad you are already taken, Graham ;-)
When I see people employ persons like Robert Cohen, MD, F.C.C.P to conduct a review of the autopsy's then alarm bells start to ring because we know dammed well that this person has an agenda to get out to the public and whatever he finds we can safely assume that it will be biased to his way of thinking.
You know what Renee I thank God for today's technology where we can refute and show what these people are like because 20 years ago these people could get away with saying anything they wanted with out many questions being asked. Now with the World Wide Webb within hours of them coming out with the nonsense they come out with we can refute, ague, and show the whole World what they are about.
Ha Ha sometimes life's such a bitch Renee :-) but I will have that coffee with you anytime I am in your neck of the woods and the same if your in my neck of the woods I bet we could have a right old natter over a Costa or a Starbucks.
You know what Renee I thank God for today's technology where we can refute and show what these people are like because 20 years ago these people could get away with saying anything they wanted with out many questions being asked. That is exactly right! ;-)
A right old natter!!!!!!! yay!!!! ;-) Thanks, Graham
If you don't like logging, try using plastic toilet paper. - Heard on the radio.
They are interested in impoverishing us all...that they may force us onto the Gov dependency list.
That, is the goal.
Neither is the environment a "problem." It is merely a handy device...to pocket more our our earnings, whilst confusing fools with the other hand.
The psychopath Reid hasn't made more than $170,000/year in his entire Life, with supposedly 1/3 of that going to Taxes...and yet, he's a Millionaire. Ditto the rest of them.
We are being had, all. Royally so.