Burns criticizes Baucus provision to pay sickened Libby residents - billingsgazette.com

Burns criticizes Baucus provision to pay sickened Libby residents - billingsgazette.com: "Montana Sen. Conrad Burns said Wednesday that he opposes a pending senate bill designed to compensate residents of Libby, Mont., who have been sickened by asbestos.

Burns, a Republican, is opposing a provision authored by the state's other senator, Democrat Max Baucus. The language, which would pay sickened Libby residents up to $1.1 million each for asbestos-related diseases, is included in larger asbestos legislation passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee last year. The Senate is expected to take up the bill in coming weeks.

About 200 deaths and many more cases of asbestos-related disease have been blamed on asbestos contamination associated with Libby's vermiculite mine, which was operated by W.R. Grace & Co. and closed in 1990."