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House OKs Study On Miner's Cancer, Veto Threatened

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Apr 10, 2008 5:47 pm US/Central

House OKs Study On Miner's Cancer, Veto Threatened

ST. PAUL (AP) ― A fight is brewing over how to pay for studying a rare lung cancer that strikes Iron Range miners.

The Minnesota House has voted 88-45 to spend nearly $5 million from a special workers compensation fund.

However, Gov.Tim Pawlenty has warned that he wants another funding source and will probably veto the bill if it's not changed.

Pawlenty suggests using taconite production taxes collected from the mining companies. He says tapping the workers compensation fund will lead to higher assessments for businesses statewide.

Iron Range Democrats including House Majority Leader Tony Sertich say the governor is going back on his promise to back the study after his former health commissioner suppressed data about the cancer.

Sertich says the study should be a statewide responsibility because former miners live all over Minnesota.

Mesothelioma is a rare lung cancer that has shown up disproportionately in mine workers.

 

(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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