SHE WON'T GO!
When the study came out three weeks ago showing that mountaintop removal was linked to a rise in birth defects, I was wondering how long if would take for some “scientists” paid by the “mountaintop development” industry to come out with something debunking it. I’m sure that will happen eventually.
But what do we have in the meantime? WFPL’s Erica Peterson breaks this little slice of awful, as one of King Coal’s favorite law firms says it’s not the coal industry’s fault, it’s just that those hillbillies are all inbred:
Now D.C.-based law firm Crowell & Moring is citing Appalachian inbreeding as a way to discredit science linking mining and birth defects.A critique posted on the Crowell & Moring website last month raises several issues with the study’s methodology, including that the study failed to account for consanguinity—or inbreeding—which can also cause birth defects. Crowell & Moring represents the National Mining Association, but an NMA spokesman says the association wasn’t involved in the firm’s critique.
Studies have shown that consanguinity, or inbreeding, isn’t any more common in Appalachia than it is in other areas. A Crowell & Moring spokeswoman said in an email response: “Our website alert was not intended to reflect views of the National Mining Association or any other coal company, but is an attempt to identify certain potential weaknesses of the study in question. Consanguinity is one of a number of commonly addressed issues in studies of this type, regardless of geography. Scientists address this consideration regularly because it can matter to scientific conclusions, and do so regardless of locale. We did not raise this issue with particular reference to any region, and we did not mean to imply any such thing. That said, we apologize for any offense taken, as none was intended.”
The piece was removed from the firm’s website earlier today.
Yes, how dare people suggest that King Coal doesn’t have the utmost respect for their workers.
Maybe Blankenship can use that defense in his trial?
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Hey Joe,
I’m digging the new look. Great read as always.
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