Libby’s CARD Clinic has received a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to screen patients for asbestos-related diseases in Lincoln County.
The money will cover chest x-rays, breathing tests and other operational costs at the clinic that is tasked with serving Lincoln County residents impacted by that community’s disastrous asbestos exposure.
Montana’s two U.S. Senators hailed this week’s announcement as a win for Libby and the surrounding communities.
“The CARD Clinic is saving lives by providing screenings for folks in and around Libby,” said Sen. Jon Tester. “This grant provides much-needed funding to cover expensive x-rays and breathing tests, helping them make Lincoln County safer and healthier.”
“Montanans, especially the folks in Libby and Troy, know all too well the harm asbestos and asbestos related diseases have on our health,” Sen. Steve Daines said. “This grant helps provide the resources necessary to raise awareness and identify early detection of asbestos exposure and help protect the health of Montana families and communities.”
Hundreds have died and thousands have been sickened in Lincoln County over the last few decades as the result of the asbestos that was mined in the community from the 1950s until the 1980s. Libby and the surrounding area was designated a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2002.