Continued from Part 1
The Clear Creek Management Area is one of the best examples of the present practice of hiding or eradicating dissenting opinions over 'Environmental Opinions.' As many dissenters have found, they can be minimized, disciplined, demoted, reassigned or simply fired to shut them up.
However, keeping them shut up and quashing their opinions on "scientific data" is a task made much more difficult and sometimes impossible by the Law.
The reason that has been used to justify the "Emergency" imposition of complete closure of over 75,000 acres of formerly accessible public lands, administered by the Bureau of Land Management is our old environmental nemesis, Asbestos. In this case, chrysotile asbestos.
Why note the distinction of asbestos type? Well, it's pretty straight forward. Asbestos is classified as a hazardous material, and is known to cause mesothelioma, a debilitating and often deadly lung disease. Yet, that said, all asbestos is not the same, and chrysotile asbestos has in recent years come under further investigation.
Specifically, in research laboratories, chrysotile asbestos has been found to be expelled from the lungs within a short period of time. Mesothelioma is caused by fibers of another type of asbestos becoming trapped in the lungs.
The closure is based on the assertion that asbestos, specifically chrysotile, is found airborne in sufficient quantity to pose a possible health hazard to persons who inhale air in the CCMA.
Yet, even within the EPA & BLM studies, inconsistencies have been found that are notable enough to prompt threats of further Freedom of Information Act and legal action. See TRAIL RECREATION GROUP CHALLENGES DECISION PROCESS REGARDING CCMA CLOSURE.
More on this and other BLM & Public Lands Closures can be found at Friends of Clear Creek Management Area website.
More in Part 3 ...
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