Task force seeks link to valley fever

The Sun City Environmental Task Force will meet next week to discuss a plan to study the connection between valley fever and mining operations, a study they say is being hindered by the mining companies.

The task force tried to draft a recommendation for the study at its June 10 meeting, but a lack of participation from the mining representatives on the task force meant they were unable to vote it through. The task force wishes to recommend to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors that a study be done to find out if the Northwest Valley's unusually high rate of valley fever is related in any way to the dust and particulate matter created by mining.

The Maricopa County Department of Public Health lists Sun City and Sun City West as having the highest rates of valley fever in the Phoenix metropolitan area; while the county average is 77 cases per 100,000 people, Sun City and Sun City West average 247 cases per 100,000 people.

The task force will again attempt to approve the recommendation at its next regular meeting Tuesday.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Sun City Environmental Task Force meeting.

WHERE: Camino Room, PORA offices, 13815 Camino del Sol, Sun City West.

WHEN: 1 p.m. Tuesday.

INFO: The Task Force will hear a presentation on Valley Fever from Pat White, a Sun City West woman who has the disease.