"CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Scientists backed by a $15 million industry-funded research project are picking apart -- and trying to disprove -- a series of studies that found coalfield residents near mountaintop-removal mining operations face greater risks of serious illness and premature death."

"Five papers on the issue were presented last week during a meeting hosted by the Appalachian Research Initiative for Environmental Science, or ARIES, an industry-funded program based at Virginia Tech.

Industry groups, including the National Mining Association, have previously funded work aimed at questioning the mountaintop-removal health studies produced by West Virginia University researcher Michael Hendryx and a variety of co-authors."

Ken Ward Jr. reports for the Charleston Gazette April 20, 2013. [2]