Summary
A clinic in Libby, Montana, called the Center for Asbestos Related Disease (CARD), offered free health screenings for asbestos-related illnesses. The clinic closed in May due to a lawsuit by BNSF Railway. This lawsuit, along with potential federal funding cuts, threatens the clinic’s future.
Key Facts
- The CARD Clinic is located in Libby, Montana, where many residents were exposed to asbestos.
- Asbestos is a tiny fiber that can cause lung issues if inhaled over time.
- The clinic provided free lung screenings to over 8,900 people for asbestos-related illnesses.
- Libby was declared a Superfund site and a public health emergency due to asbestos exposure.
- A study found nearly 700 deaths in Libby from asbestos-related causes between 1979 and 2011.
- BNSF Railway sued the clinic using a whistleblower law, leading to its closure.
- The lawsuit seeks $2.9 million from the clinic for court costs and attorney fees.
- The clinic's main funding source, a federal grant, might be cut, threatening its reopening.
