Document 8R7KXqy0Z8gkB3ynMY3vxdbYZ

AGENDA MEETING OF THE MCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 5:30 p.m. (EDT), Wednesday, June 9, 1971 Crystal Room, The Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia X. MINUTES OF MAY 11, 1971, MEETING. II. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-TREASURER. (a) Financial Report for Fiscal Year Ending May 31, 1971. (b) Summary of Independent Audit. (c) Capital Account and Inventory. (d) Membership Fee Billings for Fiscal 1971-72. HI. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. (a) 99th Annual Meeting: (1) Program and Registration. i2) Future Annual Meeting Dates. (b) Proposed MCA Position Favoring Restoration of the Investment Tax Credit. (c) Proposed Survey of Member Companies Regarding Capital and Operating Expenditures and Assign ment of Manpower for Environmental Controls. (d) Recommended MCA Positions on the Proposed Toxic Substances Control Act of 1971. (e) Report of Membership Committee: Gordon Chemical Co. , Inc. IV. COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. V. STAFF REPORT. VI. ADJOURNMENT. (Enclosure) (Enclosure) (Enclosure) (Enclosure) (Enclosure) A brief organizational meeting of the 1971-72 Board of Directors will be held immediately following the Annual Business Meeting (approximately 10:30 a.m. ) on June 10 in the West Virginia Room (located on the second floor). Next Regular Directors' Meeting -- 11:00 a.m. (EDT), Tuesday, September 14, 1971, Union Club, Park Avenue and 69th Street, New York City. CMA 069617 1315 MINUTES of the two hundred fifth meeting of the Directors of the Manufacturing Chemists' Association, Inc. , held in the Crystal Room, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on Wednesday, June 9, 1971, at 5:30 p. m. There were present: Clifford D. Siverd, Chairman L,. G. Bliss Edward J. Bock L. L. Bott John T. Connor Herschel H. Cudd Lee V. Dauler Edward J. Donley William P. Drake William J. Driver Clifton C. Garvin, Jr. Carl A. Gerstacker Robert D. Goodall Ralph K. Gottshall William B. Graham Roger W. Gunder T. G. Hughes Robert A. Lucht Earl T. McBee Harry D. McNeeley Max A. Minnig Charles S. Munson L. John Polite, Jr. Luther S. Roehm Jack B. St. Clair Harry B. Warner Jesse Werner Robert J. Whitesell F. Perry Wilson James R. Carnes Alternates: Wayne T. Barrett (for L. G. Bliss) R. M. Coquillette (for Robert D. Goodall) J. P. Cunningham (for Jack B. St. Clair) P. B. Dalton (for Jesse Werner) John L. Gillis (for Edward J. Bock) Edward J. Goett (for Ralph K. Gottshall) Eric L. Hamilton (for Leonard Hynes) Edward R. Kane (for David H. Dawson) James E. Magoffin (for Harry D. McNeeley) H. Barclay Morley (for Roger W. Gunder) Earl C. Ray (for Robert A. Lucht) George W. Russell (for Clifford D. Siverd) John H. Wiles (for William B. Graham) Ian L. White-Thomson (for Carl L. Randolph) R. J. Zedler (for H. E. Hirschland) Present by invitation; Kenneth D. Johnson, MCA General Counsel: Marx Leva I. MINUTES OF MAY 11, 1971, MEETING. The Minutes of the May 11, 1971, meeting of the Board of Directors were duly approved as submitted to the members. II. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-TREASURER. (a) Financial Report for Fiscal Year Ending May 31, 1971. The report of income and expenses for the period June 1, 1970, to May 31, 1971, was summarized as follows: CMA 069618 Income Membership and Entrance Fees Interest on Investments Publication Sales Meetings and Special Funds T otals Expenses Management Technical - General - CHEMTREC Public Relations Government Relations Education Information Service Office Administration Totals Excess of Income over Budgeted Expense Total 1970-71 Budget Expense Expenditures from Project Funds brought forward from previous fiscal years Total General Program Expense Actual $1,589,875 127, 829 89,506 63, 003 $1,870,213 $ 304,038 481,902 45,110 362, 170 205,258 80,418 84,561 150,576 $1,714,033 $ 156,180 $1,714,033 54,265 $1,768,298 1316 Budget $1,585,000 100,000 68,000 67,000 $1,820,000 $ 327,810 595,100 90, 370 418,760 209,780 86,690 91,200 148,220 $1,967,930 (b) Summary of Independent Audit. Mr. Carnes reported that the firm of Bond, Beebe, Bond and Bond, Certified Public Accountants, had sub mitted its report of the independent audit of the Association's accounts as of May 31, 1971. Copies of the audit report are furnished to the officers of the Association and are available for examination by other interested Directors upon request. The independent auditors verified the assets, liabilities, and fund balances as follows: Assets Cash in Bank and on Hand Regular Checking Account Payroll Checking Account Petty Cash Fund Chemical Forum Change Fund $ 77,012 6, 000 500 250 $ 83,762 Investments Bank Certificate of Deposit U. S. Government Obligations General Electric Commercial Paper $ 100,000 1, 183,418 96, 750 $1,380,168 CMA 069619 Accounts Receivable Meetings, Workshops and Symposia U. S. Government Research Project Staff Travel Advances $ 1,039 16,615 1,986 Deposits Total Assets Liabilitie s Payroll Taxes Withheld D. C. Use Tax Liabilities and Fund Balance $ 13 68 Liability for Special Retirement Agreements 1317 $ 19,640 625 $1,484, 195 $ 81 $ 114,583 Deferred Receipts Meetings, Workshops and Symposia $ 70,252 Fund Balance Restricted Unrestricted $ 165,332 1, 133,947 $1, 299,279 Total Liabilities and Fund Balance $1,484, 195 (c) Additional Capital Assets. The Secretary-Treasurer reported that the value of furniture and equipment was not reflected in the auditors' State ment of Assets, Liabilities, and Fund Balances because acquisitions of these items are charged to expense when purchased. The auditors, however, had determined that the depreciated value of these assets on hand as of May 31, 1971, was $69, 385. An inventory by the staff of MCA publications held for sale as of May 31, 1971, was $90, 220. As in the case of furniture and equipment, the value of publi cations was not shown in the auditors' Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Fund Balances since the cost of publication is charged to expense when printed. (d) Membership Fee Billing for Fiscal 1971-72. The SecretaryTreasurer reported that, subject to approval of the budget and method of financing at the Annual Business Session on the following day, membership fee invoices for 1971-72 would be mailed to Executive Contacts on June 14. It was requested that those present facilitate prompt payment by their companies. III. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. (a) 99th Annual Meeting. (1) Program and Registration. The Secretary-Treasurer invited the attention of those present to copies of the program and attendance list at each Director's place. Total registration for the meeting was reported at 851 with 160 member companies represented. (2) Future Annual Meeting Dates. The management of The Greenbrier has confirmed the following dates for the Annual Meeting for the next five years: CMA 069620 1318 June 8-10, 1972 June 7-9, 1973 June 6-8, 1974 June 12-14, 1975 June 10-12, 1976 (b) Proposed MCA Position Favoring Restoration of the Investment Tax Credit. Sent to Directors in advance of the meeting and summarized byMr. Driver was a proposed MCA position favoring restoration of the investment tax credit, copy appended as Exhibit A. The proposal by the Tax Policy Commit tee was endorsed by the Executive Committee at its May meeting with the recom mendation that, subject to approval by the Board of Directors, letters setting forth the MCA position as it appears in Exhibit A be forwarded to the chairmen of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees and to the Secretary of the Treasury by the MCA president at such time as would in his judgment be appropriate. ON MOTION, duly made and seconded, it was, VOTED: That the proposed position of the Association favoring restoration of the investment tax credit, as set forth in Exhibit A, be approved and that letters setting forth this position be transmitted to the appropriate Government officials by the MCA president at such time as would in his judgment be appropriate. (c) Proposed Survey of Member Companies Regarding Capital and Operating Expenditures and Assignment of Manpower for Environmental Control. Sent to Directors in advance of the meeting was a proposed questionnaire to be used in a survey of MCA member companies to determine present and projected costs and manpower requirements for environmental control, copy appended as Exhibit B. Stating that the proposed questionnaire replaced a more extensive one which had been considered earlier and deferred, Chairman Siverd requested Mr. Driver to present further details concerning it. Mr. Driver reported that, in recommending approval of the survey by the Board of Directors, the Execu tive Committee had recommended that the letter transmitting the questionnaire to the membership contain adequate definitions of the geographical scope of the survey and of the data desired, and had agreed that October 1, 1971, should be the target date for submission of data by member companies. ON MOTION, duly made and seconded, it was, VOTED: That the proposed survey and questionnaire, as set forth in Exhibit B, be approved. CMA 069621 1319 (d) Recommended MCA Position on the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1971 Furnished to Directors was a preliminary report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Chemicals Regulation recommending a proposed MCA position on the Federal regulation of hazardous chemical substances, copy appended as Exhibit C. Chairman Siverd alluded to the importance of this matter, stated that the proposed positions and the pending legislation to which it was addressed involved many controversial points, and therefore recommended that Directors review the proposed MCA position and submit their comments to President Driver for guidance of the Ad Hoc Committee in developing the Association's final position. No action on the proposed position was taken. (e) Report of Membership Committee: Gordon Chemical Co. , Inc. Chairman St. Clair of the Membership Committee reported that an application had been received from Gordon Chemical Co. , Inc. , and that, in the opinion of the Membership Committee, the applicant was qualified for membership under the Association's Bylaws. ON MOTION, duly made and seconded, it was, VOTED: That the applicant be elected to membership in the Association. IV. COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. The following committee appointments were approved. (a) Government Relations Committee. Sam Pickard, Monsanto Company -- As Chairman Robert F. Kelly, E. I. du Pont de Nemours &c Company -As Vice Chairman (b) Industrial Relations Advisory Committee. Donald P. Brockie, ICI America Inc. V. G. Whittington, Shell Oil Company (c) Insurance Committee. Richard C. McKiddy, Jr. , Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp. C. A. Romano, FMC Corporation (d) Babels and Precautionary Information Committee. G. Robert Sido, Monsanto Company * - As Chairman A. W. Sheldon, M&T Chemicals Inc. -- As Vice Chairman Charles P. Brush, Koppers Company, Inc. (e) Nuclear Committee. Paul A. McKim, ARCO Chemical Company, Division of Atlantic Richfield Company CMA 069622 1320 (f) Occupational Health Committee. N. Van Hendricks, Standard Oil Company (New Jersey) -As Chairman John H. Wolfsie, M. D, , UNIROYAL, Inc. -- As Vice Chairman William V. Andresen, American Cyanamid Company Charles F. Reinhardt, M. D. , E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (g) Plastics Committee. Richard J. Hughes, Union Carbide Corporation William E. Kennel, Amoco Chemicals Corporation Raymond H. Marks, Tenneco Chemicals, Inc. (h) Public Relations Committee. E. N. Brandt, The Dow Chemical Company -- As Chairman James S. Freeman, Union Carbide Corporation -- As Vice Chairman (i) Tax Policy Committee. John F. Mooney, Union Carbide Corporation -- As Chairman Thomas M. Rasmussen, Monsanto Company -- As Vice Chairman (j) Water Resources Committee. Frank Kemmer, Nalco Chemical Company V. STAFF REPORT. Mr. Driver reported on recent legislative and other governmental developments and Association activities, copy of his written report forwarded to Directors in advance of the meeting, being appended as Exhibit D. There being no further business to come before the meeting, it was unanimously resolved to adjourn. Certified Correct: Clifford D. Siverd Chairman of the Board James R. Carnes Secretary-Treasurer CMA 069623 EXHIBIT A PROPOSED MCA POSITION FAVORING RESTORATION OF THE INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT At the May meeting, the Executive committee approved a proposal submitted by the Tax policy Committee that MCA recommend to appropri ate Congressional and Administration officials enactment of legislation to restore the investment tax credit. It was requested that a draft of letters to the Chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee and the Secretary of the Treasury be submitted to the Board of Directors for review. Attached is a draft of such a letter addressed to the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. It is suggested that the timing of the submission of this letter, and similar letters addressed to the other officials mentioned above, be left to the discretion of the President. It is not believed desirable to submit these letters until the Treasury Department's liberalized depreciation regulations, which we supported at hearings held in early May, become effective. The Treasury Department has indicated that these regulations will probably be published within the next few weeks. Attachment 6/9/71 CMA 069624 1 WILLIAM j. driver Pntldant DRAFT MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS ASSOCIATION 1825 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, N. W* WASHINGTON, D. C. 20009* (202) 483-6126 Honorable Wilbur D. Mills Chairman, Ways and Means Committee United States House of Representatives Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Chairman: On behalf of the Manufacturing Chemists Association, I urge that your Committee give favorable consideration at this time to the restora tion of the 7 percent investment tax credit which was repealed in the Tax Reform Act of 1969. The Manufacturing Chemists Association is a non-profit trade association of 171 United States company members repre senting more than 90% of the production capacity of basic industrial chemicals within this country. The chemical manufacturers constitute a capital intensive industry which must invest in plant facilities in order to remain competitive at home and abroad. With high taxes, high interest rates, and high costs of materials, supplies and services it is becoming increasingly diffi cult to generate sufficient funds internally to meet the capital needs of the business today in a period of inflation and high replacement costs. Over the past year or so, and, especially during the last several months, there have been frequent reports of plant shutdowns by chemical companies and by industry at large. A recent McGraw-Hill Economic Depart ment study disclosed that 12 percent of the chemical plants and facilities CMA 069625 2- - were obsolete by December 31, 1968, and, despite substantial additional plant investment, that by the end of 1970 obsolete chemical plants had risen to 17 percent. We believe that now is the time to reenact the 7 percent investment tax credit. As pointed out by many at the time the investment tax credit was adopted in 1962, this tax relief encourages the replacement of obsolete manufacturing facilities which entail a cost substantially in excess of depreciation reserves. The current situation in which this country finds itself argues strongly in this direction since the tax credit is a proven method in maintaining high employment levels, in assisting American companies to meet foreign competition, and in ensuring the growth in national productivity and efficiency needed to maintain a prospering economy. Capital investment is not only essential to hold down prices; it is indespensible to our living standards. The investment tax credit was introduced in 1962, in part to place American industries in a more favorable competitive position with respect to their foreign counterparts. The Administration pointed out that many European countries have favorable tax provisions for capital investments in order to encourage the expansion of their industrial capacity and in order to modernize their facilities enabling their industries to compete strongly in the world market. In 1966, and again in 1969, the chemical industry testified in Congressional hearings that the removal of the investment tax credit would again place American industries at a disad- | vantage in international trade. Foreign producers have historically had CWIA 069626 -.3- the competitive advantage of cheap labor which we managed to counter balance through more efficient productive capacity. But foreign pro ducers now have modern machines, also, `and their governments grant tax credits to encourage development of the most up to date, efficient production facilities, as a result, the investment credit is needed now more than ever to enable American industries to meet the foreign challenge. In addition, it will be a step towards reducing the serious and continuing deficit in our balance of payments. The relative merits of the Asset Depreciation Range system and the investment tax credit have received considerable attention in recent months. This Association has expressed its support for ADR as an entirely appropriate and realistic capital cost recovery system giving due consideration to continuing technological developments and the related increase in obsolescence. As an added step, the investment credit will provide more direct encouragement to increased expenditures for production facilities. When the investment credit was adopted in 1962, the Administration asserted that it was to be a permanent structural feature of our tax system. It was never intended to be a stabilizing tool to adjust economic fluctuation. The chemical industry supported this concept and consistently opposed the suspension of the credit in 1966 and the repeal of the credit in 1969. A stop-and-go tax policy ignores the planning requirements and the realities inherent in industrial modernization and expansion, which are constantly influenced by technological change and -4- competitive factors in a dynamic economy. During the period that this credit was in effect, it contributed significantly to the economic gains made by American industry. it is our considered opinion that the repeal of the investment credit was a mistake which has weakened the competitive position of American industry in the international market place with unfortunate consequences to our balance of payments. The early restoration of the investment tax credit as a permanent part of the tax structure should remedy this situation and stimulate the economy by providing the necessary incentive for increased capital investment in production facilities. Sincerely, W. J. Driver It CMA 069628 EXHIBIT B PROPOSED SURVEY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING The Executive Committee has endorsed a proposed survey of MCA member companies' capital, operating and research expenditures and man power requirements for environmental controls. The draft of a questionnaire for this purpose is presented herewith for Board approval. MCA - 6/9/71 CMA 069629 DRAFT 5/27/71 Confidential t MCA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING Capital investment Air Pollution Control Water Pollution ____ Control Solid Waste Disposal Installed original cost of facilities continuing in use Total through calendar 1970 Additional for calendar 1971 Additional projected for future years, estimate as now available year-by-year, or aggregated for period indicated 1972 1973 1974 1975 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE COST Including corporate as well as plant staffs; laboratory, engineering, and supervisory personnel; replacement parts, utilities, and other direct costs Annual rate as of mid-1971 $_________________ $___________________ $ ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL RESEARCH Contracted and in-house Annual rate as of mid-1971 $ $ MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS (In man-years; estimated to nearest 0.1 if less than one man-year) All personnel so assigned, including corporate, plant operations, engineering, administrative, mainte nance, research, etc. *> Annual rate as of mid-1971 J _________________ ____________________ Company By. Address v CMA 069630 PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON CHEMICALS REGULATION ON PROPOSED MCA POSITIONS ON THE FEDERAL REGULATION OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES EXHIBIT C The chemical industry supports the principle that chemical substances should be evaluated with respect to any adverse effects they may have on the health of man and the environment prior to manufacture of commercial quantities and marketing. The chemical industry also supports the principle that such substances should be manufactured and marketed in such a manner that the intended use or uses of such substances will not cause substantial injury or illness to man or substantial irreparable harm to the environment. If the Congress were to decide that the protection of the environment and the public health from hazardous chemical sub stances requires new legislation, such legislation should incor porate the following concepts: 1., Any requirement for safety testing should provide that the types of tests and the results to be achieved should be rationally related to the nature and scale of intended uses and the reasonably anticipated routes of ultimate disposal. The acceptability of any risks identified by such tests can only be judged m the context of the benefits resulting from the use of the chemical involved, 2. Although the ultimate responsibility for decisions re garding the- adequacy of test protocols must rest with the Environmental Protection Agency, such protocols should be developed with the advice and counsel of the scientific com munity. 3. Chemical manufacturers should continue to have the right and responsibility to conduct any tests required by the legislation,, 4. The Environmental Protection Agency should be notified promptly by the manufacturer, upon the introduction of a new product into commerce, concerning the environmental impact of such product, including the results of the tests he has performed pursuant to the provisions of the legislation. There should be no requirement for prior approval by EPA before commercial manufacture or sale of such product. (Over) CMA 069631 Inherent in notice-type legislation would be the authority for EPA to review the data submitted, question its adequacy, require the submission of supplementary data, and, where appro priate, to seek injunctive or other restrictive remedies. 5. Adequate provisions should be made for the protection of trade secret and proprietary data submitted to EPA in the en vironmental impact notifications. In the judgment of your Committee, neither of the pertinent sections* of the United States Code meets this criterion. 6. The Federal legislation should preempt the subject matter and preclude the adoption of inconsistent state legislation or regulations that would impede interstate commerce. 7. The administrative procedures established by the legis lation should provide for administrative hearings and judicial review as routes of appeal from decisions by EPA adverse to the manufacturer or processor of a chemical product. 8. Your Committee, in recognition of the unfair economic burden placed upon the first manufacturer of a chemical by the environmental impact testing .that he may do to the benefit of subsequent competitors, urged that a mechanism be developed whereby such testing costs could be redistributed among all the producers. No acceptable mechanism has been identified to the Committee. * Section 552 of Title 5 Section 1905 of Title 18 June 10, 1971 2- - I! CMA 069632 STAFF REPORT June 1971 by William J. Driver EXHIBIT D ENACTMENT... ...of significant water pollution control legislation appears likely during this Congressional session. The Sub committee on Air and Water Pollution of the Senate Public Works Committee, chaired by Sen. Edmund Muskie (D.-Me.), has begun mark up of its bill (which may or may not emerge as S. 523). The Subcommittee is wrestling with such complex and politically sensitive issues as: Future application of the Refuse Act of 1899; Responsibilities of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in administering a system of discharge permits; The advisability of continuing the river basin planning concept in water pollution control; How best to attack the problem of agricultural run-off, and The type of ocean disposal limitation which should be invoked. On May 25, the House Public Works Committee, chaired by Rep. John A. Blatnik (D.-Minn.)-, began two and a half weeks of hearings on water pollution abatement. These hearings, while devoted to an in-depth review of the existing program and its shortcomings, will be followed by another three weeks of hearings to examine the provisions of more than 200 water pollution bills before the Committee. MCA expects to submit oral testimony during the latter phase. APPLICATION... ...for Federal discharge permits, which must be filed by July 1, 1971, has been revised and simplified from the original format conceived by the EPA and the Corps of Engineers. This is primarily due to a review by the Office of Management and Budget--in which MCA participated--and to comment from private sectors regarding the timetable and the parameter details. The final application form reduces the number of parameters due July 1 to fourteen. Additional data will be required by October 1. CMA 069633 2 THE RESULTS... ...of four contract studies on industrial wastes conducted by the EPA will be of prime interest to the chemical industry. Three of the studies--on chlor-alkali and other inorganics, plastics and synthetics, and fertilizers--have been completed. The fourth--on organics and petrochemicals--is scheduled for com pletion in July. The results of the four studies will be published in the Federal Register for comment, then issued as a guide to effluent limitations. The prompt and extensive response to our request to name company representatives to assist the contractors in carrying out these studies, so as to produce reliable information, is ap preciated. Sixty-three member companies named ninety-three technical experts. The extent of their participation is not known. However, five technical liaison representatives were active in the studies. ON MAY 11... ...we submitted comments to EPA on the proposed rules to govern implementation plans by the states to achieve the ambient air standards promulgated under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970. Concern was expressed that the rules would limit the states in seeking optimum solutions to their problems. MCA IS REPRESENTED... ...on the National Environmental Task Force of the Public Relations Society of America. Edward L. Jaffee, manager of Environmental Quality Information, attended a two-day meeting of the Task Force May 17-18 in Washington, D. C. The group heard presentations from virtually every Federal agency and advisory group with environmental involvements, plus conservation organiza tions. The Task Force then considered requests for public com munications assistance. Mr. Jaffee is working on projects with the President's Council on Environmental Quality and on the National Park Service's centennial program. CMA 069634 INTERNATIONAL TRADE... ...is under close scrutiny by the Senate Finance Committee's Subcommittee on International Trade. Chaired by Senator Abraham Ribicoff (D.-Conn.), the Subcommittee: Held hearings from May 17-21 on major current foreign trade issues. Witnesses included Cabinet officers and other high-ranking members of the Administration, prominent business representatives, labor leaders and former government officials; Plans additional hearings which will focus on specific issues and problems and afford participation by interested persons; Asked the Tariff Commission to study and report back on: tariff and non-tariff barriers, the extent and nature of concessions granted by the U.S. in trade agreements, customs evaluation procedures of the U.S. and of foreign countries, and the implications of multi-national firms on world trade and investment, and Requested the President's Council on International Economic Policy to prepare a series of studies on several current trade problem-areas, including the adequacy of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in dealing with trade problems, the effects of European Common Market activities and implications of the current international exchange and payments situation. A SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE... ...on Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) food additives is due to be mailed to chemical companies and food processors by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in mid-June. Conducted by NAS under contract to the Food and Drug Administration, the survey has broad industry support and constitutes one phase of the re-evaluation of GRAS substances directed by President Nixon in his 1969 Consumer Message. THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH COMMITTEE... ...following its discussions on May 5-6 with Dr. P. L. Viola, concluded that his findings of malignant tumors in laboratory animals from inhalation of vinyl chloride monomer prompt further attention to this phenomenon. An outline of experimental protocol has been developed and cost estimates will be obtained. As soon as appropriate, concerned producers will be invited to consider support of such a project by voluntary subscription. CMA 069635 4 A PROTEST AND PETITION FOR SUSPENSION... ...was filed on May 20 by the Association with the Inter state Commerce Commission concerning the imposition of a 10-cent per-mile charge by the railroads on movements of empty tank cars Our view is that the railroads already recover costs for these moves in their freight rates and, if such charges were to be allowed, mileage allowances should be increased simultaneously to compensate car owners for the additional cost of ownership. A PROPOSED SURCHARGE... ...due to "excess crew laws" has been protested in still another state; this time in Arkansas. On May 19, T. C. Stewart of Monsanto Company submitted a statement on behalf of the Association before a western rail group objecting to a $10-percar surcharge on shipments originating or terminating in that state. Similar protests regarding Indiana, Ohio and New York were mentioned in the May staff report. TWO NEW TECHNICAL BULLETINS... ...were released in May; TC-16 -- Recommendations for Facilities for Receipt of Dry Bulk Chemicals and Plastics in Pressure Differential Hopper Cars; and TC-17 -- Recommendations for Facilities for Receipt of Dry Bulk Chemicals and Plastics in Covered Hopper Cars Equipped with Vacuum-Pneumatic Outlets. CMA 069636