By Dave Thompson
Bismarck, ND – The state Industrial Commission has voted to release a preliminary study of breathing problems among children in Coal Country.
The study is a work-in-progress -- in that the results need to be subjected to a peer-review before being finalized. The Commission had been asked to release the preliminary study -- and Governor Hoeven was agreeable to that....
"I want ot make sure that there is no perception that we're somehow trying to soften the impact or somehow steer the impact. I want to make very sure that that is not the perception out there. And I'm concerned that if we don't release it and we wait the 60 days and then its per reviewed that when it does come out that there'll be some discussion or perception that somehow the per review was used to soften the impact of the study and we're not interested in doing that all. We're interested in doing this right and very straight forward."
However, another commission member -- Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson -- said the previous commission agreed to keep it under wraps until the report was finalized...
"I can understand you know, where the pressure may be coming and I certainly am not at all inclined to be on the side of saying we ought not disclose something publicly because that's not at all where I come from. But I do believe that we have an obligation to, when there is a work in progress, to wait and release it till it is final and you really have credible conclusions that have been reached."
The vote was 2 to 1...