The tragedy that has befallen Libby has raised serious questions about our state’s ability to identify and respond to threats to the public health. It is now estimated that as many as 200 people have died from lung cancer caused by toxic asbestos exposure, and an additional 1100 Libby residents and former residents could have an asbestos-related illness.

The failure of the state to recognize these trends is not because our public health officials don’t care but because they simply do not have the information.  That is why MontPIRG is working with health professionals, government agencies, and other environmental groups to establish a statewide cancer and chronic disease tracking and registry system.  Such a system will be an important tool in preventing tragedies like that in Libby from happening again.

    In 2001, the Montana legislature passed a MontPIRG backed bill to study the creation of a statewide chronic disease tracking system.  MontPIRG is now serves on the intern legislative taskforce charged with crafting a system for Montana. The tracking system would give public health officials, health care providers, and communities centralized access to the tools needed to respond to and prevent chronic disease and research and avert environmental threats to public health. MontPIRG Executive Director, David Ponder now serves on the taskforce charged drafting the study.

The taskforce consists of health care and environmental professionals, epidemiologists, state agency representatives, legislators and other citizens. At a March meeting in Helena the taskforce met to review first draft of the report on developing a chronic disease tracking system in Montana. The draft report includes sections describing national and state activities in chronic disease tracking and recommendations on the type of tracking systems that could be developed for Montana. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services in collaboration with the Center for Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Montana and the School of Nursing at Montana State University prepared the initial research for the draft.

“The chronic disease registry can act as a canary in the mine. For my family, Libby, and myself it may be too late but I am here to urge that never again should we allow a tragedy of this proportion to happen anywhere. Let Libby be a lesson,” said Gayla Benefield, Libby resident.

Congress recently approved $30 million to establish a national disease tracking system and some of the funding could be available to states for pilot projects (see National Health Tracking Network below).

The taskforce will meet again July 16 in Helena to review the second draft of the report and final recommendations will be submitted to the 2003 Legislature by September.

The public is invited to attend all taskforce meeting and comment on the report. For more information contact or for a copy of the draft report contact MontPIRG at montpirg@pirg.org .

The State PIRGs are joining forces to advocate for a nationwide health tracking network to monitor chronic diseases and potentially related environmental exposures. The network would give public health officials, health care providers, and communities the tools to respond to and prevent chronic disease, and to research and avert environmental threats to public health. The Nationwide Health Tracking Network would be coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , building on the current infectious disease tracking network. Here's how the network would work:

• A Health Tracking Network in all 50 states, tracking respiratory diseases like asthma, birth defects, cancers, and neurological diseases like Alzheimer's. The tracking of exposures would start with PCBs, heavy metals, pesticides, and other water and air contaminants.

• An Early Warning System to alert communities to immediate health crises such as heavy metal and pesticide poisonings.

• Pilot Programs establishing 20 regional and state programs, providing flexibility for local officials and community groups to gather more information and address local priorities.

• Federal, State, and Local Rapid Response capability to investigate clusters, outbreaks, and emerging threats.

• Support of Community Interests and Scientific Research to further health tracking efforts, including input from local groups on the design and implementation of the program. Similarly, the network must honor the community's right to know by ensuring public access to information made available.

For more information on our effort for a nation-wide health tracking network, visit the National Health & the Environment Project .