EN VIRONMENTAL
NEWS
SUMMARY August 9, 1974
Office of Public Affairs U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460
OCEANS
At three-day hearing in Pensacola, Fla., Gulf states' officials attack DuPont Co.'s
request to dump poisonous wastes into Gulf of Mexico(New Orleans Times-Picayune, 7/23/74)
Officials from Tex., La., Miss., Ala., and Fla. tell EPA that dumping harms marine life,
ecology of waters off Fla., and possibly entire Gulf. Dr. Paul Templet of La. Atty. Gen.'s
Environmental Advisory Committee says antimony--"as potentially deadly as mercury"--is
part of waste FLA. ASST. ATTY. GEN. KEN HOFFMAN says EPA guilty of "improperly
conducting" hearings. Says T.A. Wastler, head of EPA ocean dumping program, who approved
DuPont dumping(see 7/12/74,News Summary), tried to "rationalize his decision" by "badger-
ing a state witness" from a Fla. pollution bureau(Jacksonville Times-Union, 7/24/74).
N.Y. Times(7/27/74) says loser in hearing "will almost certainly take the winner
to federal court," providing first test of fed law regulating offshore dumping. During
hearing, Fla. Dept. of Pollution Control says it will file lawsuit to halt all industrial
waste dumping in Gulf TRAIN WILL RULE BY LATE SEPTEMBER on whether to rescind Du-
Pont dumping permit(Atlanta Journal. 7/25/74) HEARING-RELATED STORIES in Birming-
ham News(7/20/74). Times-Picayune(7/19/74). Mobile Register(7/16/74), Jacksonville Times-
Union (7/21/74), Pensacola Journal(7/20/74) DUPONT FILES 500-PAGE REPORT with Fla.
Pollution Control Department contending its waste will not damage Gulf marine life(Mobil;
Register, 7/16/74), but Fla. Pollution Control Dir. Peter Baljet says DuPont press rel-
ease on report "casts a giant shadow of doubt on the good will" of the company, since it
leaves impression that it came from Baljet's Dept.--which finds release "not acceptable"
(Tampa Tribune. 7/17/74) SEN. CHILES (D-FLA.) DEMANDS EPA REASONS for allowing
dumping: "We have repeatedly pointed out that the EPA has prepared no environmental im-
pact statement about the effects of the chemicals on Florida waters"(Miami Herald,7/19/74
COMMENTING ON FLA. POLLUTION CONTROL DEPT. STATEMENT THAT DuPont waste is toxic,
and that the state had never been informed of seven waste sites off Fla. shores, Pensa-
cola Journal(7/17/74) says: TEPAD , in addition to doing a poor job of protection, has
little regard for the attitude of states bordering salt water...this seemingly indiscri-
minate issuance of dumping permits by the EPA is inexcusable."
IN OTHER OCEAN DEVELOPMENTS. Dr. Richard Dewling, Region 2 Surveillance and Analy-
sis head, says claims that sewage sludge is moving toward Long Island beaches "at an
alarming and unprecedented rate have not been substantiated"(see 7/26/74 News Summary),
and "it's safer to swim in the ocean than in a pool." Dewling adds, however, that while
dumping poses no current threat, EPA recommends that both dump sites (6 and 12 miles out)
be moved by '76. EPA plans to phase out municipal ocean dumping by '81(AP in Asbury Pa-
rk Press. 7/25/74). (N.Y. Times. 8/3/74). (N.Y. Daily News. 7/25/74). (N.Y. Post.7/25/74)
(Newsday. 7/25/74), (Bergen County Record. 7/25/74). L.I. sludge feature in Newsday(7/15/
74). Same paper(7/22/74) criticizes EPA for moving too slowly in solving sludge problem,
and for encouraging "short dumping"(sludge barges discarding waste before reachingdumP
site) by allowing barge firms to dump at night—making it harder for the Coast Guard to
monitor the situation PROGRESS OF THE UN LAW OF THE SEAS CONFERENCE is "painfully
slow" says N.Y. Times(8/3/74). "While everyone here puts a food face on what is going on
when speaking for the record, unofficially the participants...talk of stalemate. The
votes are there, says an American delegate, but the means for setting up a strong inter-
national authority for the deep seabeds are not. The private and national interests rep-
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS SUMMARY
resented here seem as various and complex as the animal and plant life of the sea it-
self." Wash. Star-News(7/24/74) ; Ecuador, Peru stick to claims of sovereignty up to
200 miles off their coasts, despite pressure from U.S.,Russia--"could endanger" con-
ference. Large nations push 12-mile limit for absolute control, 200 miles for economic
jurisdiction. Wash. Star;_News_(7/29/74): Russia accuses China of playing "lord over
the sea"; in response, China accuses Russia and U.S. of "frantic expansion and plunder"
of developing nations'offshore resources. Wash. Star News(7/30/74); Nine nations in-
troduce working paper to break conference deadlock--key provision would give nations
effective control over ocean up to 200 miles offshore. Cleveland Plain Dealer(7/25/74):
"...The idea of a comprehensive international seabed authority...seems withered and
largely forgotten...The 200-mile economic zone is no solution to the problems that the
U.N. Conference on the Law of the Sea set out to solve. The oceans still are an ecolog-
ical whole. Without a strong international system, the economic zone arrangement will
create more problems than it can solve...Most of the world's offshore oil, and about
85% of the fish, are in these 200-mile-wide economic zones. Outside them, the princi-
pal seabed resources currently usable are nodules of various minerals such as m anganese
...The idea of economic zones is presented as a generous concession by the rich to the
poor...But...It is the rich, technologically advanced countries that will profit most
from the 200 mile economic zones. Already, companies from the nodule-mining nations
are negotiating to exploit seabed minerals, and they are unlikely to give the develop-
ing nations a voice in decision and management. Interest in building an international
seabed authority is bound to wane to the extent that the potential wealth it might man-
age is consigned instead to the...zones. The danger is that there will be a patchwork
of contending national jurisdictions and overlapping functions, and that developing
nations will suffer." Wash. Post(7/30/74); "Sharp disagreements still exist...and
there is no assurance that the full text of a treaty will be reached in this summer's
session. But it is clear that the old system—or-nonsystem—of rights and responsibil-
ities which has prevailed on the high seas is gone. The very concept of "high seas",
open equally to all, is buckling as particular nations assertsovereignty or special
rights over areas further and further from their shores, and as the international com-
munity collectively asserts certain kinds of authority over areas further out."
UNLEADED GAS
Duvall Dickey, Exxon marketing head, has some "reservations" about ability of '75's
to run on unleaded gas(Dallas Morning News,7/30/74). Company will hold mid-August
meeting to "determine the situation." Dickey says there is tendency for new cars to
run acceptably on lower octane fuel than specified; but with increased use car runs
better on higher octane fuel—trouble is, no higher octane unleaded fuel currently a-
vailable...Same paper(7/23/74) says EPA backing off on "harsh" $10,000-a-day fine for
any dealer who puts leaded into '75's, especially in emergency situation, or who does
not have unleaded available now. ..."THE WHOLE MATTER" o'f catalysts and unleaded gas,
says Deseret News(7/20/74) "is like a time bomb waiting to explode this fall. Not only
are the U.S. auto men fearful of what this may do to '75 sales, but importers wonder
about how they can sell their cars on a tourist delivery basis, where a person picks
up his car in Europe, drives it around, then ships it home." Quotes EPA official:
"We will operate on the assumption that if the car has a converter and it has been
driven in Europe, then the converter is inoperative and must be changed •
We are working out arrangements with customs officers now but the
only exception to changing the converters will be if the driver can show us he used
only unleaded gas overseas—admittedly an almost impossible task." EPA says cars dri-
ven to Canada, Mexico won't be inspected because these governments give assurance of
unleaded availability in their countries. ...Automotive News(7/22/74)runs feature on
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS SUMMARY
devices available to service station owner for making sure gas is really lead free.
...Jack Crollard, PRES. OF IDAHO AUTO DEALERS ASSN., predicts unleaded will be gener-
ally available in state in time for *75*s(Idaho Statesman. 7/22/74). ...COMMENTING ON
EPA UNLEADED REGS, syndicated columnist M. Stanton Evans(Arizona Republie. 7/22/74)
says agency" is at it again—inventing solutions for which there are no discernible
problems, thereby creating some brand-new problems of its own. In its brief but coun-
terproductive history, EPA has racked up some truly epic failures...Now EPA is out to
top its previous performance." Calls EPA program "authoritarian," "Big Brother."
"There is not and never has been any proof that leaded gasoline is harmful to anybody
...Even EPA has been compelled, somewhat awkwardly, to admit as much...Lead is not
being banned therefor, because it is harmful to your health," but "for the sake of the
converters—but it develops that the converters themselves are none too healthy in
their environmental impact...it was revealed last fall that they also have the charac-
teristic of changing sulfur into suIfates...potentially quite dangerous to people with
respiratory ailments—as lead, for instance, is not." Quoting Train statement that
to be deterred by sulfate danger indications would thwart momentum of emission control
strategy,Evans concludes: "Remember that one, fellow motorists, when you are out in
your '75 Belchfire and a gas station short of nonlead fuel refuses to sell you the
other kind. To have done otherwise, after all, would have inconvenienced the folks at
EPA."
SOLID WASTE
A bill designed to change national solid waste disposal policies, encouraging re-
source recovery with incumbent financial incentives, and authorizing EPA to set stan-
dards against "unreasonable threats" to the environment caused by waste disposal, was
reported by an 11-1 vote in the Senate Commerce Comm. (Wash, Post,8/3/74). The Re-
source Conservation and Energy Recovery bill would change present interstate commerce
rates favorable to the shipment of virgin materials, require the federal government
to buy recycled materials, and provide funds for research in improved technologies in
resource recovery and in the use of solid waste as a source of fuel. The Post feels
the measure could ( and "ought to") give EPA authority to ban the use of the 60 billion
throwaway beer and soft drink containers manufactured each year. "The ... vote," con-
tinues the Post, "...is extremely encouraging...The...measure..>constitutes) a strong
response to the "no deposit-no return" existence that is costing this nation in so
many critical ways.. .national wastefulness is more than shameful; it is causing seri-
ous health and safety problems and is using up energy at an excessive rate."
DETERGENTS & PHDSPHATES
Phosphates, "an environmental villain just a few years back. ..once again the hero
of the laundry room," reports the Wall Street Journal(7/29/74). Journal finds that
communities in Conn., Fla., 111., Md., which earlier banned the use of phosphate de-
tergents have mow recinded bans, because of difficulty in finding acceptable substi-
tutes and because of new evidence showing that detergents cause only 1/3-1/2 of all
phosphate pollution in waterways. Conn. Dept. of Environmental Protection urges phos-
phate removal at sewage treatment stage. Environmentalist Barry Commoner calls new
claims "hogwash," maintaining the "...entire problem of excess algae growth is caused
by phosphates detergents...When they get smelly algae on the beach again they'll re-
member...."
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS SUMMARY
DIELDRIN
After two years of scientific and legal controversy, EPA announces intention to
ban Shell Oil Co.-manufactured pesticides aldrin, dieldrin intended for '75 crop grow-
ing season (Wash. Post.8/3/74. N.Y. Times.8/3/74.Wall St. Journal.8/5/741. Citing
national Cancer Society evidence that dieldrin presents "unacceptably high cancer risk,"
EPA Administrator Russell Train orders suspension of further production, effective im-
mediately, with Shell's opportunity to request public hearing not to exceed 15 days.
Aldrin, dieldrin have been under EPA administrative review for many months with current
proceeding likely to continue as long. In light of new scientific data showing diel-
drin causing cancerous tumors in mice, and "measurable amounts" recently found in 99.5%
of^ human tissue samplings, 88% of all garden fruits, 96% of all meat and poultry, and
83% of all dairy products, with children exposed to greatest risk, immediate suspension
was effected. Train's action, authorized by the federal Insecticide, Fungicide and
Rodenticide Act, still allows current supplies of dieldrin to be sold and used. Shell
denies carcinogenic hazard to humans and promises significant price rise in crops,
especially corn. New York Times, in editorial (8/8/74) calls Shell's arguments "shock-
'ingly irresponsible ..Shell itself conducted experiments, and only after a substantial
number of the animals developed malignant liver tumors did it decide that what affected
mice did not necessarily affect men." Times also states that "...more than 80% of
United States cornfields do without these chemicals now(growers have something like a
dozen alternatives at their disposal)...case gets down to public risk for private gain."
ENERGY.ENVIRONMENT AND EPA
In an interview with the Bergen County(N.J.) Record(7/25/74), Russell Train express-
es feeling that the "federal government's concern for the environment has slackened
appreciably...priorities...are giving less weight to the environment and more to energy.
The Clean Air Act survived the crisis last winter, says Train, but the conflict around
it will continue. With concern developing over federal preemption of decision-making
with regard to local siting of energy projects, Train states beliefs... there should be
some coherent regional planning for refineries in an area like New England. But I don't
think the federal government should preempt the states' rights unless national security
demands it..."
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