ENVIRONMENTAL
NEWS
S UMMA RY *r *.
Office of Public Affairs U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460
NATIONAL BOTTLE BILL
Congressional bill banning all nonreturnable beverage containers receives "po-
lite" hearings, but Christian Science Monitor(5/9/74) says "the legislation is not
given even a flip-top chance to go much farther—at least not this year, inside sources
say. Opposition from the container industry, bottlers, and labor unions runs high.
But at least the hearings served to reveal one important ally, the Nixon administration."
Cites Quarles testimony, "Speaking for the administration": "We believe that a mandatory
deposit program results in conservation of energy and materials and a reduction in solid
waste and litter caused by beverage containers. We...favor the adoption on a nationwide
scale of a mandatory deposit system." But Monitor says administration won't support
Hatfield(R-Ore.) bill, preferring five-to-ten-year phase-in period to avoid "economic
dislocations." Quarles statement gets additional coverage in Wash. Post(5/8/74), Ore-
gonian(5/9/74), Eugene, Ore. Register-Guard(5/8/74). Additional hearing coverage in
Oregonian(5/7/74) Oregon Journal(5/2/74) says that "dead set" against fed bottle
bill is "much of the political muscle in Washington...Because opponents of the measure
are who they are, and because this is an election year, the...bill is given almost no
chance of reaching second base legislatively—at least for the time being. Then again,
it wasn't supposed to get to first." AFL-CIO ECONOMIST MARKLEY ROBERTS says of
bottle bill: "We are opposed to any legislation that would destroy workers' jobs in the
name of protecting the environment...[The] idea of "resource reduction1...is a negative,
elitist approach which would serve to diminish the living standards of low and middle
income Americans."(Solid Waste Report. 4/29/74) PACKAGING INDUSTRY'S SOLID FRONT
against fed bottle bill "appears to be cracking," says Newsweek(5/6/74). "The glass-
container makers—whose returnable bottles would replace throwaways under any ban—are
about to break with their allies in the plastic and metal-container industries. Their
new strategy will include all-out support for returnable bottles." CITING QUARLES
TESTIMONY that "beverage containers are the most rapidly growing segment of all munici-
pal waste," and the success of Oregon bottle bill, Wash. Post(5/16/74) urges passage of
fed throwaway ban.
IN OTHER SOLID WASTE DEVELOPMENTS. "Solid waste management problems plague more
mayors and city councilmen nationwide than any of 27 other major urban problems, accord-
ing to National League of Cities' survey of 1,031 elected city officials throughout the
country."(Solid Waste Report. 4/29/74) AUTO GRAVEYARD IS FAST DISAPPEARING, since
new electric furnace steelmaking process in smaller mills uses virtually all scrap as
raw material, and junked cars make best scrap(UPI story in Bergen County Record, 4/30/74)
National Observer(5/4/74) feature stresses shift of recycling from "idealism to pro
fitability" and that "value of our cast-off materials is at record levels."
VINYL CHLORIDE
Dr. Glenn Schweitzer, Dir., EPA Toxic Substances Office, warns: "There is no
doubt that in the United States substantial amounts of vinyl chloride--probably exceed-
ing 200 million pounds annually—and large quantities of polyvinyl chloride, probably
exceeding 50 million pounds, are being discharged into the environment during the poly-
vinyl chloride production process"(Miami Herald. 5/12/74), (Baltimore Sun, 5/12/74),
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS SUMMARY
(Kansas City Star. 4/12/74),(Bergen County Record, 5/12/74).(Birmingham News. 5/12/74).
IN OTHER VINYL CHLORIDE DEVELOPMENTS. Chemical and Engineering News(5/20/74)
reports that, for at least a year, U.S., European chemical firms withheld significant
scientific findings linking liver cancer to vinyl chloride(Wash. Post, 5/20/74)
CONTINUED COVERAGE OF LABOR DEPT.'s proposal that "no detectable level" of vinyl chlor-
ide gas be permitted where chemical is used(Louisville Courier-Journal, 5/8/74). But
chemical industry officials claim there is no existing technology permitting reduction
to undetectable level in manufacturing situation(Louisville Times, 5/8/74) CON-
TINUED COVERAGE of U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission intention to ban use of
vinyl chloride in most household aerosol sprays(Milwaukee Journal, 5/8/74).
AIR
American Electric Power Co., Inc., one of nation's largest utilities, asks Con-
gress to amend Clean Air Act to allow use of high-sulfur coal mined in Midwest(Wash.
Post. 5/14/74) TWO PAPERS attack American Electric Power for its current adver-
tising campaign which claims scrubbers are inoperable: "The American Electric Power
System.. .knows a lot about scrubbers and warns us emphatically that they are more trou-
ble than they are worth. That's odd," says Wash. Post(5/19/74). "Just the other day
General Motors Corporation announced that the new scrubbers on its big power plant at
Parma, Ohio, had been in operatiin f o^ two months and are working splendidly...The main
difference between the two companies' views of scrubbers may conceivably be that GM...
told its engineers to build a system that works, while American.. .was busy thinking of
reasons why it couldn't possibly work...The automobile industry is accustomed to spend-
ing heavily on engineering to get what it wants. The electric power industry, meanwhile,
has been spending considerably less than one percent of its operating revenues on re-
search and development." N.Y. Times(5/8/74); "What American Electric's campaign does is
to confuse the genuine national need to make more and better use of coal with the desire
of some power companies to use it in the way most profitable to themselves irrespective
of the damage to society."
IN RELATED DEVELOPMENTS. Louisville Gas & Electric Co.'s experimental air pol-
lution scrubber equipment, the "center of national controversy"(see 5/17/74 News Summary)
operated continuously during the last four months of '73 free of mechanical failures
that shut it down two out of every five days during first half of '73(Louisville Courier
Journal, 5/11/74). "May be a key test in determining whether similar equipment will be
required of all utility plants in the United States."
IN OTHER AIR DEVELOPMENTS. Kennecott Copper Corp. says it plans to sue EPA for
j failure to obey '70 Clean Air Act(Wall St. Journal, N.Y. Times. 5/9/74). Tentative plan
I for Nevada's air clean-up plan submitted in Jan.,'72(Kennecott owns smelter in McGill,
j Nev.), but EPA neither approved certain portions of it, nor offered alternative plan
iwithin six months after submittal, as required by law MASSIVE CONVERSION of urban
j power plants to high-sulfur fuels or unrestricted use of tall stacks and supplementary
i control systems in rural power plants will greatly aggravate acid sulfate aerosol prob-
j lem and endanger public health, says N.C. NERC Dir., John Finklea(Air/Water Pollution
i Report, 4/29/74). Likewise, equipping the majority of light-duty motor vehicles with
! oxidation catalysts will measurably increase human exposure to acid sulfate aerosols,
j and control of these emissions may prove mandatory to protect public health Air/
j Water Pollution Report(4/74) feels developments in the Clean Air amendments issue "have
; seemed to confirm" their last October's observation that "Train Shows Strength, Indepen-
dence as EPA Chief."
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS SUMMARY
STRIP MINING
House Interior Committee votes 26-15 to approve strip mining bill which would:
(1) Establish interim, final standards for fed-state permit system to restore land to
original contours, and bar mining on slopes greater than 20 degrees as well as outlawing
"high wall" cuts; (2) Impose 30 cent-a-ton fee on all mined, imported coal--earmarking
60 percent of revenue for reclaiming abandoned strip mines; and (3) Force coal companies
with already-acquired rights to fed land to also secure written consent from those own-
ing surface rights. Rep. Steiger(R-Ariz.)> who "previously has represented Nixon admin-
istration views on legislation," says "strong likelihood" Nixon will veto unless last-
mentioned provision removed.(Wall St. Journal, 5/15/74).(N.Y. Times. 5/15/74).(Wash.
Star-News. 5/15/74).
AUTO EMISSIONS
Senate approves section of House-passed bill requiring catalytic converters on
'75 cars, but postponing standards for '75 models till '77 (also relaxes clean air rules
for power plants switching from oil to coal) (see 5/10/74 News Summary). Bill now goes
to conference.(Wall St. Journal. 5/15/74),(Wash. Post, 5/15/74) AUTO INDUSTRY
EXECS urge Congress to pass law delaying '75 emission standards till '78(N.Y. Times. 5/
16/74) COMMENTING ON SENATE PASSAGE of aforementioned bill, Wash. Star-News(5/14/
74) says "environmental considerations clearly taking a back seat to the energy crisis."
IN OTHER AUTO EMISSION DEVELOPMENTS. OMB's Ash says that in order not to dis-
rupt "the orderly flow of information to the consumer" EPA will continue auto mileage
testing for '75 and possibly '76 autos; meanwhile, Ash says National Bureau of Standards
will "explore and evaluate a wide range of alternative test procedures." Earlier, Ash
considered giving testing job to another agency(see 5/10/74 News Summary)(Wash. Post. 5/
18/74).(Wall St. Journal. 5/19/74). Sens. Muskie(D-Me. ) , Randolph(D-W.Va. ) fought to
keep testing in EPA(Detroit Free Press. 5/2/74). House Government Operations' Subcommit'
tee on Conservation and Natural Resources requests GAO to take a "quick look" at EPA
testing program, and by 6/10/74 'to "determine and evaluate the capability of any other
agency to carry out the fuel economy testing program effectively, efficiently and econom
ically."
WATER POLLUTION
Supreme Court will rule later this year on legality of Nixon's refusal to allo-
cate to states $6 billion of $11 billion in sewage treatment funds, Congressionally-
authorized for fiscal years '73-'74 under Fed Water Pollution Control Act. Case grew
out of suits filed by N.Y. City (later joined by Detroit) and Va. environmental group,
Campaign Clean Water(N.Y. Times. 4/30/74).(Wall St. Journal. 4/30/74).(Air & Water News,
5/6/74).(Air/Water Pollution Report. 5/6/74). (Clean Water Report. 5/10/74).(Sierra Club
National News Report. 5/3/74).
IN OTHER WATER POLLUTION DEVELOPMENTS. According to Gallup poll, fewer than 40%
of Americans think that the kind of water they drink has any effect on their health, re-
gardless of whether they live in hard or soft water regions (Water Newsletter. 5/2/74).
National Observer(5/4/74) feature highly critical of '72 amendments to Water Poll-
ution Control Act and their implementation. Says Act "based upon many elements of un-
sound scientific reasoning and fact," and shows "obvious lack of concern for its many
negative impacts on the air and land." Charges that "technical groups have been rele-
gated to the periphery of the decision-making process" and that act "clearly illustrates
the political game that is being played at the expense of the environment." Knocks two
EPA advisory groups: (1) Effluent Standards and Water Quality Advisory Com. ittee has no
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS SUMMARY
budget, "consequently, its effectiveness has nearly parallelled its budget level," and
(2) Water Pollution Control Jidyisory Board "is also nearly defunct," because EPA adminis-
trator, its chairman, "rarely, if ever, calls the board together for a meeting." As a
result of EPA implementation programs, says article, "many previously effective state
programs have been destroyed or seriously weakened. State regulatory agencies now serve
only as puppets and policemen for the EPA and are buried in a bureaucratic quagmire of
forms and paper work." Also charges that "preponderance" of lawyers in political frame-
work has caused "adversary procedures and problem oversimplification." Conclusion;
"Environment will not be effectively managed until...politicians become more technically
sensitive and...technologists more politically sensitive."
OCEAN DUMPING
Reversing earlier decision, EPA Region 2 takes "tough policy stance" against 42
firms requesting EPA dump permits off N.Y.-N.J. coasts. EPA tells 12 firms to stop
dumping no later than 6/75; another 27 given interim permits for another year, but dur-
ing that time must do detailed engineering study and report on possible alternatives;
one firm rejected outright; only two got three-year permits they sought. National
Wildlife Federation calls EPA decision a "courageous and historic action...surprising
and very encouraging."(Solid Waste Report, 4/29/74),(Air & Water News, 4/22/74), (Air/
Water Pollution Report, 4/22/74),(Corvallis Gazette-Times, 4/25/74).
ENERGY VS. ENVIRONMENT
CEQ's Peterson is "encouraged that the community, the elected officials, the ap-
pointed officials, have been able to cope with the many efforts to modify environmental
laws, out nothing of any significance has actually happened. In fact, I believe that
the environmental laws, the environmental movement has stood up well under the onslaught
which resulted from this recent energy crisis(UPI story in Wash. Star-News, 4/29/74,
Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/29/74, San Juan Star, 4/29/74). Peterson voices similar senti-
ments in Wash. Post(5/1/74).
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