Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Monday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed the bill that will provide $4.9 million for a mesothelioma research study. The bill unanimously passed the Senate, and passed by a vote of 121-1 in the House.
The 5-year study, which will be conducted under the direction of the University of Minnesota, will analyze death records and conduct screenings of current and former Iron Range mine workers and their families. The study will determine if there is a link between mesothelioma and the taconite fibers produced by the mine. To date, 58 Iron Range workers have died of mesothelioma.

The study also will include environmental research.

Funding for the program will come from a special insurance fund overseen by the Department of Commerce.

The Minnesota Health Department released its report Friday detailing a study of 58 miners who contracted mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer affecting the lining of the lungs, which is usually associated with asbestos exposure. According to Minnesota Public Radio, the report shows that the men worked in mines scattered across the entire Iron Range and reveals that nearly a quarter of the workers were employed in the mining industry for less than a year.

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