Document 44JJNRQ6DNKyapQ96a3pVNZaa

I CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS 2113 deni, is being urged to use his authority under Section 110(f) of the Clean Air Act to declare an energy emergency. By this action, the President could allow slates to burn oil tem porarily in line with ambient air quality standards rather than more stringent state implementation plans. Resumption of the use of MMT, as an octane producing additive in the manufacture of unleaded gasoline. The En vironmental Protection Agency has banned the use of the ad ditive. Use of MMT. according to Schlesinger, would provide energy savings of about 10,000 to 20,000 barrels per day of crude. Deferral of the October 1 phase down of lead in gasoline as an octane booster. Schlesinger said the U.S. could withdraw oil from the strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) to cut oil imports. By June, lie said also, the U.S. will have a 125,000 barrel per day temporary drawdown facility in place at one of the SPR sites. He said, however, "at this juncture we do not think that we should begin withdrawal" because the oil could be needed to meet next winter's healing needs. Administrative Actions Schlesinger told the committee the department has deter mined several administrative actions it can take to cut U.S. energy consumption to comply with international energy agreements. The member nations of the International Energy Agency (IEA) decided recently to cut oil comsumption by 5 percent. Under the agreement, ttie U.S. could be required to curb its oil use by as much as one million barrels daily. At the least,, the U.S. would have to cut daily consumption by 600,000 to 700.000 barrels. These administrative actions, which are a part, of the department's "Iranian response plan," would call for: Increased use of natural gas by facilities that had burned oil: Conversions of boilers from oil to coal and wheeling of power from areas which rely on coal and nuclear to those dependent on oil. Mandatory conservation measures, including weekend gasoline sales bans, building temperature cuts in winter, and advertising lighting restrictions. Increased oil production from Alaska's North Slope and from the Elk Hills petroleum reserve in California. These actions together could cut oil imports by 900,000 to one million barrels daily, Schlesinger said. Research HOUSE SCIENCE SUBCOMMITTEE BOOSTS EPA R&O AUTHORIZATION DURING MARKUP The Environmental Protection Agency would be authoriz ed (o spend $.775.4 million on environmental research and development in fiscal 1980 under a measure recently ap proved by the Mouse Science and Technology Subcommittee. The measure (HR 2676) would authorize an EPA R&D budget amounting to $6.6 million more than President Carter's proposed budget request for $366.8 million. The increases would restore R&D on air pollution in dustrial processes and on interdisciplinary monitoring and technical support, to levels requested by EPA's Office of Research and Development during the intra-agency budget process. ORD had requested $4.5 million for the air category and $3.5 million for (lie interdisciplinary category. In addition, the subcommittee approved $4 million for groundwater research; an additional $1 million for drinking water treatment, technologies; and an additional $2 million for water quality health and ecological effects research. On the other hand, the subcommittee cut the EPA request for $29.4 million for substances health and ecological effects research by $3 million. The measure has been referred to the full committee. Air Pollution NATIONAL COMMISSION ON AIR QUALITY ,, POSTPONES MARCH MEETING UNTIL APRIL The National Commission on Air Quality March 13 post poned its scheduled March 19 meeting until April 9 (44 FR 15545). The public hearing section of the meeting, to be held in Washington,D.C., will begin in the early afternoon, the com mission said. Persons who were unable to testify at the com mission's earlier hearings will have time to present oral statements. , The commission earlier issued a list of topics on which it particularly wants testimony (Current Developments, March 9. p. 2083) . The agenda for the meeting includes a review of reports on administrative matters and a seminar presentation on the general economic impact of air pollution and air pollution controls, according to the commission. The meeting will be held in Room 5110 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building at First and Constitution Avenues, beginning at 10 a.m. Persons wishing to testify should contact Paul Freeman by March 26 at the National Commission on Air Quality, 1730 K St., N.W., Washington. D.C. 20006; telephone (202) 634-7139. Those wishing to present statements should submit, by April 5, at least 50 copies of the testimony to the same ad dress. Chemicals 'UNIQUE' STUDY VIEWS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHEMICALS AND HUMAN HEALTH RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - (By an En vironment Reporter staff correspondent) -- Scientists at Research Triangle Institute here will study the relationship between chemicals in the environment and human health in what is described as a unique study. Scientists in the two-part experiment will sample humans and the environment in five regions of the U.S. Dr. Edo Pellizzari, director of the Research Triangle Institute Analytical Sciences Division, says the study is "unique, never tried before." Field workers will collect samples in northern New Jersey; in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area; in Baton Rouge, La.: Houston, Texas; and Greensboro, N.C.; which will be a control area. ' Pellizzari said the study is unique in looking at many com pounds in the air. water, soil, and food and in also sampling area residents' urine, blood, and tissues for evidence of chemical contamination. "The reason that we're doing this is that in past epidemiological studies, where people tried to correlate the presence of a single compound in an environmental medium with the incidence of cancer, results have been in conclusive." Pellizzari said. The study is being financed with $522;000 from the En vironmental Protection Agency. 3-16-79 Copyright 1979 by The Bureau of National Affairs. Inc. 0013-9211/79'$00.50 PCB-ARCH-EXT0376295