; lung cancer; and chronic heart, lung, and kidney disease. These health problems strike both women and men in mountaintop removal coal mining communities. These elevated levels of disease, defects, and mortality persist even after controlling for other variables. (4) Initial scientific evidence, and the level of public concern, warrant immediate action to stop new mountaintop removal coal mining permits and increase environmental and human health monitoring at existing mountaintop removal coal mining projects while the reported links between health effects and mountaintop removal coal mining are investigated by Federal health agencies. (5) The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is uniquely qualified to manage a working group of Federal health agencies with expertise that is relevant to study of the reported links. 3. Health studies (a) Studies The Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the heads of such other Federal departments and agencies as the Director deems appropriate, shall— (1) conduct or support comprehensive studies on the health impacts, if any, of mountaintop removal coal mining on individuals in the surrounding communities