PARKERSBURG — Three scientists working to discover if the chemical known as C8 affects human health won’t have to make their quarterly progress reports public, although a judge says it could be helpful.
Wood County Circuit Judge J.D. Beane said making those reports available through the court would provide valuable information to the public, but he stopped short of ordering it.
Currently, the C8 Science Panel’s quarterly reports are provided to the two parties in a lawsuit that led to the creation of the panel — DuPont Co. and plaintiffs who live within six water districts in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
Lawyers for both parties said in court Thursday that if the scientists discover anything significant before their reports are due, they’re able to make those findings public.
Lawyers for DuPont argued that requiring the panel to file its reports with the court wasn’t specified by the settlement that ended the lawsuit.
“There should be no reason why they should have to file a piece of paper every quarter” if the panel has nothing significant to report, DuPont lawyer Libby Stennes said. “When the science panel has something they want to communicate, they’ll do it.”
Larry Winter, one of the lawyers representing the plaintiffs, said the panel so far has made everything of significance public.
If the panel reaches a finding it wants to communicate immediately, it can submit a report to the plaintiffs and DuPont, and then to the court, Winter said.
The scientists are conducting 10 studies that follow up on a health screening of up to 70,000 Mid-Ohio Valley residents who were part of the class-action lawsuit that claimed C8 releases from DuPont’s Washington Works Plant near Parkersburg contaminated their water supplies.
DuPont agreed to fund the health screening and install carbon filters at six water district filtration plants to screen out the chemical
The question of making the quarterly reports public was raised by Harry Deitzler, one of the lawyers representing the plaintiffs.
Deitzler said the panel and the lawyers regularly receive requests for information from the public and the media.
Initially, the judge seemed to favor the idea.
“The more the public is aware of any issue, the better off we all are,” Beane said. “This is a big issue. I think it would help everyone.”
After hearing from DuPont and Winter, though, Beane did not order the quarterly science reports to be made public.
Though used since World War II, C8’s long-term effects on humans are unknown. DuPont maintains the chemical is not hazardous to human health. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency science panel has said C8 is a “likely” carcinogenic.
The three-member science panel is reviewing the health histories and blood samples of those residents who participated in the health screening.
The 10 studies will look at health issues such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and aneurysm, immune function, liver and hormone disorders, and birth outcomes. Last year, the panel said it could take until 2011 to complete its research.
West Virginia
C8 Science Panel urged to make reports public
- West Virginia
-
-
Veterans cemetery dedicated on Memorial Day
West Virginia’s new $14.1 million veterans cemetery has been dedicated at a Memorial Day ceremony in Institute.
-
Big outside spending may await W.Va. races
West Virginia can expect some hefty spending by non-candidates on some of its major general election races, if recent history is any guide.
And just in time for this potential flood of political ads, a new court case is challenging the state’s rules on the topic. -
Big outside spending may await W.Va. races
West Virginia can expect some hefty spending by non-candidates on some of its major general election races. And just in time for this potential flood of political ads, a new court case is challenging the state’s rules on the topic.
-
Man gets life sentence for ex-wife’s death
A man was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in the beating death of his ex-wife.
Thomas Charlie Lee Runner, 46, of Galloway, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder Wednesday at the Barbour County Courthouse in Philippi. -
State campaign finance limits challenged in court
A political group formed to aid West Virginia incumbents this November won a partial victory Thursday after suing over the state’s limits on campaign contributions and a policy addressing corporate spending.
-
Relatives other than parents raising kids
Sharon Davis jumped in and obtained custody of her young grandson when her daughter got tangled in a web of drugs. A decade later, her daughter is straightened out and now has her own little girl, while her son remains with Davis.
-
Project aims to get West Virginians active
A new wellness project aims to motivate West Virginians to get off their couches and be healthy.
LiveWell West Virginia is a collaboration of the West Virginia University Extension Service and the Charleston Gazette. -
Missing girl’s mother gets eight months for welfare fraud
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the mother of a 3-year-old girl who vanished eight months ago this week to spend eight months behind bars for welfare fraud.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey ruled that Lena Lunsford must begin serving her sentence June 28. -
West Virginia seventh in death rates for accidents, violence
Drug overdoses and motor vehicle crashes helped push West Virginia’s death rate involving accidents and violence to the seventh-highest in the nation, according to a report on injury prevention released Tuesday.
-
W.Va. could add hurdles to primary ballot
West Virginia officials have several options if they want to avoid repeating an outcome of this month’s primary election, when imprisoned felon Keith Judd attracted nearly 41 percent of the vote against President Barack Obama.
- More West Virginia Headlines
-
Veterans cemetery dedicated on Memorial Day
