Document 65pznppy7oYNL3BZ5KqKGBbJ3

STRICTLY CONFI DENTI AL MAY BE RELEASED ONLY BY DULY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ETHYL CORPORATION Inter-Office Correspondence To: Mr. R. K. Scales From: H. E. Hesselberg Subject: Proposed Action to Combat West Coast Anti-TEL Legislation September 22, 1961 The immediate objective of our actions should be the County of Los Angeles. Experience has shown that Griswold, as Air Pollution Control Officer, can pass and enforce County rules intended to reduce air pollution more or less regardless of their scientific merit or of the cost or inconvenience to the public or industry. He is proud of this fact, aware of the personal prestige angle, and many believe has higher political aspirations which would benefit by his role in reducing the Los Angeles air pollution problem. I do not believe that he feels he has the necessary political backing to secure passage of legis lation at the State level and therefore will not attempt this. While the State Department of Public Health has been directed to establish standards on ambient air lead content, indications are they are proceeding on a realistic basis. It does not appear that this standard can be set for at least a year, , and I believe that when established it will be at a level which will not affect TEL usage. There are no present indications that other locations such as San Francisco and San Diego have any concern regarding TEL usage. The actions which we should consider can probably be divided into three general areas: political, technical, and medical. On the political side, we should: 1. Determine what the attitude of our West Coast customers will be indi vidually and as represented by the Western Oil and Gas Association. I believe we should work closely with WOGA so that we can benefit from their experiences in the losing battles they have had with Griswold. While they may well expect the lead industries to carry the leading role in any action, I believe we must cooperate with them. Consider suggesting to them the possibility of seeking an injunction in the event of anti-TEL legislation and determine what they think of this idea and to what extent we could expect them to back our action. 2. Through Jim Gill determine to what extent the California Manufacturers Association could assist us. Gill is active in this group and their Los Angeles representative has volunteered to be of assistance. 0004907 -2 , 3. Contact the Lead Industries Association, through Mr. Costello, to determine what assistance we might expect from their organization in the Los Angeles situation. 4. Maintain as close contact as is possible with Griswold and his people without becoming too obvious or objectionable. Any insight into his thinking will be of great value to us in whatever course of action we set upon. He, to my knowledge, has not yet made a public statement that he will control TEL usage. Publicly, he has said only that the role of TEL in gasoline as regards the complication of device development should be given serious consideration. Anything that can be done to forestall his making a positive public statement regarding TEL usage will serve to buy us time. 5. Seek the advice of our friends in the automotive industry to learn their attitude if called upon to comment on the role of TEL in device development. Their attitude will serve to guide our actions to combat the manner in which Griswold might employ the automotive industries position. 6. Determine the attitude of the muffler manufacturers in the event they are requested to comment on the role of TEL. It is possible they may have some information which would be favorable since they have tested many different catalytic systems. Initially I would recommend these contacts be limited to Arvin, Norris-Thermador, and Maremont. 7. Seek the advice of Dr. W. L. Faith on our general strategy in this area. He is reasonably close to Griswold and knows his methods of action quite well. He is also well informed on the local political situation, in particular that of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors who would eventually be required to pass on any legislation that Griswold might propose. 8. Continue to maintain our contacts with Dr. John T. Middleton, Chair man of the State Motor Vehicle Control Board, and Mr. Donald A. Jensen his Executive Officer. Since the Board has specified that device development testing be carried out on fuels containing between 2 and 3 ml TEL per gallon, anti-TEL proposals could be expected to raise questions regarding this specification. *9. Attempt to retain a lobbyist in Sacramento to keep us advised of the political situation at the State level and to assist us in actions which may be necessary in connection with Assembly activities. This is probably the weakest point in our coverage. Some of the petroleum companies, including Stan Cal, use a Mr. il Schultzj ?1We should seek opinions of the oil companies through top Ethyl Management. a\ *10. Investigate the possibility of initiating a publicity campaign to insure that our statements are properly repeated in the press. Long range we should consider the need and mechanism of a national publicity program to play down the public health aspects of lead. k'f 0004908 - 3- On our technical actions, we should: 1. Immediately begin to develop realistic road data on the role of TEL, concentration on the performance of our own catalyst. While Griswold makes general statements to the much reduced efficiency of catalytic devices when operated on leaded versus clear fuel, I do not believe that good engineering data exist^ on this point. To my knowledge the organiza tions active on catalyst or device development have not carried out the type of testing necessary to establish this relationship. While it is to be expected that catalyst performance, particularly as regards activation temperature, will be influenced by TEL, content, it may prove that the influence is much less than one might expect. In any case I believe that we should have a pro gram to establish this relationship. 2. Continue our program on the development of our present catalyst and on the promising materials which are coming along. Also continue our cooperative work with the automotive manufacturers and hardware people who are currently evaluating our 1760 material. 3. Attempt to expand our cooperative programs so that the chances of developing an acceptable device, capable of performing on leaded fuels, will be increased. On the medical side, we should: 1. Increase our liaison with representatives of the California State Depart ment of Public Health and also with Griswold's Scientific Advisory Committee which includes a number of medical people. Dr. Princi suggested some time back that we consider having a retained medical consultant in the Eos Angeles area to keep us Specifically posted on the medical aspects of TEL usage. I believe this should be done. 2. Develop further information relating particle size to body retention, since Dr. Goldsmith of the California State Department of Public Health is claiming that a large percentage of the lead present in the atmosphere is of a particle size which results in maximum retention in the body. It may be that these data are already in existence. 3. Consider a research program to develop our own information on lead compound size distribution and composition in the atmosphere, since this question of body retention versus particle size, as well as specific lead compound composition, appears to be assuming major proportions. Work of this nature is underway in the California State Department of Public Health and in the laboratories of the U.S. Public Health Service. 4. Expedite the publication of our background data on the role of particulate lead and public health so that these data might be available for others, specifically Dr. Goldsmith, to study. -4*5. Arrange for Dr. Kehoe to make a trip to California and publicly present the story on the public health aspects of lead. The October 10 meeting would be the best time to do this. *Items added following September 14 discussion with Mr. Huxtable. HEH:cl HE 0004910 PRESENT STATUS OF ACTIVITIES On The Political Side 1. This was discussed at the meeting in Los Angeles on October 9 prior to the hearing on October 10. I also believe that Len Huxtable has made some additional contacts subsequent to the October 10 meeting. We are suggesting that Len cover this as a separate item which appears on the agenda. 2. This likewise was discussed at the October 9 meeting, and we are suggesting that Jim Gill cover this as an agenda item. 3. It has been proposed that George Kirby handle this suggestion through Joe Costello. 4. This is being done to as great an extent as appears feasible at this time. 5. This is being done at the present time. I plan to cover this briefly as an agenda item. 6. This is being done at the present time by the Detroit Laboratories. 7. This was done by Howard Hesselberg during the week of October 9. He will report on this under the agenda item on the status of the West Coast anti-TEL legislation. 8. This is being done by Messrs. Huxtable, Huguet and Hesselberg. 9. This has been done. 10. This will be covered by Mr. Boudreau as an agenda item. Technical Actions 1. This is under way in the Detroit Laboratories. 2. Under way at present. 3. Under way at present. Medical Side 1, 2, 3, and 4. Suggest these be covered by Dr. Princi and Dr. Kehoe as agenda items. ** This was done. Dr. Kehoe may wish to comment on this on his a stem.