Document JN0JZj5GNpdpoq8LXwDE9G9R6

New Cancer Valley data add tothe confusion The recurring debate between chemical companies and residents of West Virgin ia's heavily industrialized Kanawha Val ley over the moaning of local death sta tistics heated up again last week. State Health Dept officials released results of a mortality survey conducted in a small section of North Charleston, W. Va., and it showed that there were 10 cancer deaths during the pest 10 years, or near ly twice the expected rate of 5.36 cancer for a population of comparable si?* While state health officials have carefully refrained from asemsinfl; blame in their report, people in the area haven't hesitated to point the finger at the chemical industry. The area's sizable chemical industry has lived with what many believe to be the unfair tag of Cancer Valley for two decades While scientists are puzzled about what conclusions can be drawn from contradictory figures in vglrious studies, some locals are not. The descrip tion is accurate because of the abun dance of chemical plants and the fact that the steep valley traps pollutants, says Charles G. Gariow, director of the West Virginia Clean Air Coalition. No surprises. Regarding the newly released statistics of the state health department, he notes, "The survey con firmed what the people in that commu nity had felt for years...." Residents, he know they are "right in the path of all the goop, [all the] chemical air pollu tants that are probably put out by Union Carbide." There is also a large FMC plant down the river. The mttfnMon about these and other factors persists because the conflicting studies have been besed on the same information. For example. Standard Mortality, a national listing of cancer death* by county and state, shows that the rate in Charleston is L06, or 6% shove the net*"**! standard of 1. At the same time, two other studies, both claiming to report similar statistics, say the Kanawha Valley's cancer death rate is at or below the national average. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also issued a study concluding that airborne concentrations found in the Charleston area from 1975 to 1977 do not approach harmful levels. The facilities of FMC and Union Car bide are the closest to the area surveyed. Carbide's Blaine Island plant it just across the river from the neighborhood surveyed by state health department It manufactures a variety LQjDjCQ OMia tk 6# del won'y of specialty chemicals, including polyols and vinyl resins, and employs about 1^500 people. Just downstream, FMC's facility produces chlorine and caustic soda, and employs about 1,900 workers. For its part, Carbide denies that its plant la connected with the mortality rate. "The death information ^available to Union Carbide inriiratea there is no relationship between the Neath Charles ton health wmeem end emiseions from the South Charleston plant" And FMC issues a response "We've done some pretty eiAanaive epidemiologies] surveys on our employees. The remits show that we have fewer health prob lems thw the general population," Further, both FMC and Union Car bide assert that they are in compliance with existing state air-quality laws. Carl Beard, director of the West Virginia Air Pollution Control Commission (APCC), adds: "I don't know and I don't think anybody knows that any air pollution has caused any excess malignancies." But on the other hand, he says, "we don't know H hasn't" Beard, a 19-year veteran of air-quality control work, initi ated the state health department study, and his agency is now assuming ths lead role in the climate of controversy. Toward this end, Baird's APCC has asked Carbide and FMC to provide it with a complete list of emiseinnt from their faeffltiee. The APCC will take the data and will add information on emis sions from other Charleston-area indus tries, an Inventory for the ragta- "We're starting there [with Car bide and FMtt" says Beard. "Well do the Kanawha VaDay. Hun we'll look at the other chemical industries and other industries in the state. We're going to find out what is being discharged into the ambient air that could possibly affect anybody's health." A TVA veto of plants Will lower power rates In a2-to-l vote of the hoard of directors. the \Tenneseee Valley Aut ity last postponed building nuelear ; 3,949 megawa 'electri- r. For industrial isrs, who that TVA's sli rates high, the decision fur- on the unite : billion of ited $10 billion already been spentV-means that power rates in thh valley could about 7% lower in the 1990a. While the\board phasizes that deferral does cancellation, agency staffers concede privately that th and five others already deferred ibebiy never be buSt That would TVA with 9 oper- ating nuclear units the next demde instead of a (7. And, TVA says, H would move Commonwe%]th ^Edison into the it>ae the nation's most nuclear itfchty. A standoff. Pu : debate thedefer- rfl issue pitted such as ths agency'i 60 diwtrll against 80 directly energy-in1 ive cus- tamers. TVA jctors S. and Freeman, who related, the position the customers; Pretideni gut's only tee to tlie board, ftiii Chari "Chill" Dean, voted to tinna unita already in operation are at Browns Ferry tiie units deferred last week A1 and A2 and Yellow [. TVA currently has four nuelear construction at the Watts Bellefonte plants (total 5482 will not be affected by defer- ^fbfrCW AM WNMy <nd*x of 4oi ClNNIltelfjgy prftcfft Latest week 293& Previous week 293.5 Mondi ago 293A Yaarago 297.2 I ORL0S121 1