Former Libby resident waiting for governor's reaction

To the Editor:

It's been a month or so since I last chatted with the governor, so I thought I would write and let him know where things stand. I would like to remind him that we first chatted about this issue in July 2005. Today, nothing has been done. This is also why I write this letter of concern and request that I get a reply from him so that he will get a response from all his departments involved/responsible. If he finds that nothing has been done, then he can find out why. I'm so, so tired of writing for nothing, you have no idea.

I am requesting that the governor ask if any bark samples were ever taken and tested that were shipped around the country from Libby as recreation and landscape bark? Has anyone sought to find/look for where this bark went or even how contaminated it is?

And while the governor is at it, I'd like him to ask why the bark samples from the Plummer School have yet to be made public? Wouldn't you want to know if your children are in danger from breathing tremolite asbestos fibers in and around their school? I hope so.

Remember, we are talking about Libby, W.R. Grace, tremolite, you know all about it.

Also, there is no excuse whatsoever for the government/EPA to take 6 to 7 years to produce a Record of Decision on Libby. The seriousness and truth of this issue is life and death. Now the ROD is postponed until August 2006. Why?

This is what I would like the governor to answer for me and the people of Libby. After all, in those 6 or 7 years since we all found out the truth, no one has been protected. Healthy people continue to move to Libby, waiting to be told that Libby is neither safe nor clean.

Who is responsible to those exposed innocent families who will die, waiting for this so-called ROD? Why wait until Libby is all dead to announce the ROD? What more is there to learn and see to understand what has and still is happening to Libby and the people who live and breathe there today? The ROD should have come out years ago. Why wait on that to protect those we leave behind, today?

Michael Crill

Missoula