Now that the federal environmental trial against W. R. Grace & Co. has concluded with an acquittal, a Montana senator is looking to Washington for assistance for his constituents in the town of Libby.

Montana Senator John Tester spoke up during a Senate hearing yesterday in order to raise awareness of the plight of the citizens of Libby, Montana. Libby is a small town that has been making big headlines for months, as it is the site of a former W. R. Grace mine that produced asbestos-tainted vermiculite. Many of the townspeople in Libby have now developed asbestos-related illnesses, and many have passed away.

Asbestos is linked to illnesses such as lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma.

During the hearing on Wednesday, Senator Tester urged the US Environmental Protection Agency to work in tandem with the Department of Health and Human Services in order to create a cleanup plan for the town of Libby. Senator Tester hopes that with the joint efforts of both organizations, the town of Libby can finally be made safe again.

“I think we can get a big bang for the buck,” said Senator Tester. “We can help make this community whole again, and we can solve a huge problem that we have in one of the most beautiful places in the world.”

Senator Tester also made a point of telling the EPA that he felt the Justice Department was to blame for the failure to convict Grace of environmental crimes in Libby. Local residents have echoed this sentiment, calling out Judge Donald Molloy for failing to protect the citizens who have suffered as a result of W. R. Grace’s negligence and lies.

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