Document Nkbb9YwzXRGg44QY9DZ3na2D

Hitt 2 4 1972 PARENT DEVL-OPMENTS .*.,iMiicr icjcc. ' i-K'clson amendment would have u j U'A to receive from *.,-cry registrant a f<. description of Ic-.iv ind results on a chemical being cour.iticicd. and v 'Id have requited that maiciuil sub mit led j>i supjmri .1 .> registration be available Idr public scrutiny before upi*M>t:ii <l the pesticide. lire .simeonnuid'> i jr-cicd lire Hart-Nelson amendment which would Iuim itl.iwftl ''any interested person'" U> paituipalc fully in lt< iriur.s. A subcommittee spokesman saiJ tUc bat already includes language allowing "other interested persons'' (< |>;nliciputc. Other ........................ rejected by the sub committee included rliose regarding advisor)' eommitices of the National Vmtemy of Sciences, increasing the penalty for nonoomphance by private applicators from $1,000 to $10,000, and including jiesticidcs produced lor export under revtew. The House language, which exempts pesticides produced solely for export from requirements of (UK 10792), wax adopted. The subcommittee also rejected amendments which would relieve EPA of the cost and problems of disposing of canceled pesticides, would require referral of scientific questions directly to NAS tatiter titan lo an advisory committee, would allow use of a pesticide on pests not included on a label if not prohibited, and would provide for worker protection. :___ f--< Delay of the project also would rc"*1! pending the f iHir..' of environmental, engineem.,,, and construc tion studies for a Canadian route, he said. The- Trans-Canada route would cause more damage to terrain and biotic habitat than the Alaskan route since it would traverse a greater area of permafrost, he said. While tin- Trans-Alaska route involves a grcatei pollution risk hum potential earthquakes and from the tunket route from Valdez to the lower 48 states, steps have been and will be taken to protect against such risks, he stated, and added that strict regulations are being developed to minimize the threat of oil pollution in the marine en vironment. Mr. Morton said oil should be delivered via the TransAlaska mute by 1976, as compared to three to five additional years for Ihc Trans-Canada line. He said that it is "in the interest of national security, balance of pay ment, and reliability of energy supply to achieve early delivery of North Slope oil" to reduce U.S. dependence on oil imports. The Wilderness Society, Friends of the Barth, and the Environmental Defense Fund, Inc., asked the U.S. District Court in Washington. May 11 to block the department's proposal to issue the right-of-way permits. Chemicals Petroleum INTERIOR MAKES DECISION TO GRANT RIGHT-OF-WAY PERMITS FOR ALASKAN OIL A decision to grant right-of-way permits for the pro posed Trans-Alaska pipeline was announced by Interior Secretary Rogers C.B. Morton on May 11. The actual permits cannot be issued at this time because of injunctions issued in pending litigation. Permits will be issued as soon as such action can be taken without violating any court order. . Mr. Morion said that while development of l'rudltoe Day oil will involve some environmental risks and costs, the decision Is in the best inteicsts of the U.S. lie said the U.S. demand for oil by the year 1980 will range between 20 million and 25 million barrels per day, and that domestic ptoduclion would be as low as nine million to 12 million burreis per day without the North Slope oil. The figures include (he reasonable prospects of developing other energy sources, he noted. Serious consideration was given to the alternative Prud- hoe Kuy Valdez route posting near Fairbanks, Aliiskn, and lo the Trans-Alaska-Canada route along the MacK.en7.ie River to Edmonton, Mr. Morton stated. However, lie said (hat routes requiring tankers via tire Northwest Passage, Beaufort Sea, or Bering Sea "nre not technologically feasible at (Ins time," and that both land routes would a righl-of-wny permit over Alaska terrain. Mr. Morton raid a bilateral arrangement for a Trans Alaska route- presently is impractical because the U.S requires the entire capacity of any oil pipeline and then would be uncertainty and delay in arranging for financing ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RESTRICTS WATER DISCHARGE OF PC8 The Environmental Protection Agency on May 13 announced it will restrict the water discharge of industrial effluents of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) so that levels in waterways do not exceed .01 parts per billion. The action was taken following issuance of a Govern ment task force report which recommended that ail current uses of the chemicals, except use in electrical capacitors and transformers, be discontinued. According to the task force, current environmental levels do not constitute'an imminent hazard to health, but effects of long-tern, exposure are largely unknown. Adverse health effects will not occur as a result of the levels of PCBs currently in the environment, the report said. It noted that PCBs are highly persistent and can be found in almost all parts of the environment, and also mentioned that they have occurred in food as a result of accidental release. In March, the Food and Drug Adminis tration proposed new regulations, including more stringent action levels for PCDs in food, steps to prevent them in food packaging, and measures to prevent contamination from accidents in food plants. The task force recommended passage of legislation giving the Federal Government broad authority to restrict use or distribution of PCDs, to control imports, and to collect information. The proposed Toxic Substances Con trol Act (S 1478) would fill this gap in the regulatory system, the report said. The report, "PCBs and the Environment," is available for $6 from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Va. 22151. Copyright C 1972 by Thobirroov of N 10I Affair*, Inc. V HONS 070967 W. A 0-///<-Y