Senator’s Wish to Change State Rock May be Granite

The Associated Press reported today that Democratic state Senator Gloria Romera has proposed a bill that would change the state rock of California. The Serpantine, which was chosen in 1965, contains the mineral asbestos which has since been found to cause such diseases as mesothelioma, lung cancer, throat cancer and asbestosis. As any California mesothelioma lawyer can attest asbestos related deaths in CA are high. Romera defends her bill by citing this prevalence of mesothelioma in the Golden State. The AP quotes Romera as saying:

“We know that California has the highest rates of mesothelioma deaths in the nation and we don’t think it’s appropriate to be celebrating as the state rock something which contains asbestos.”

Geologists are voicing objections to the bill, pointing to the Serpentine as a historical symbol of the Gold Rush that brought settlers to the state in 1849. There is an ongoing debate among health officials and scientists as to whether the rock, which is found throughout the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, actually poses any threat in its natural state as long as it remains undisturbed.

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