Document QJyO56pNLGDn8vyKbmz6rY31L

Kk*J B 1x3 & By TOM PR1DDY Nows staff writer . ATLANTA -- The Sangamo Electric Co. agreed Wednesday to completely stop using and discharging PCBs by Nov. 1, 1977. At (ho same time the ......... - company was given a tem porary relaxation of cur rent PCD discharge limita tions. "We are not in the bust Sangnmo officials also ' ness of putting industries agreed to drop a suit that out of business. We are in challenged the right of the . the business of protecting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to dictate the environment*" Ravan said. the PCD limits. The administrator added The compromise agree the agreement is the best ment was reached during available means of protec a Jengiby ciosed-door ting Lake Hartwell from mooting between officials future PCB pollution. from Sangamo. EPA and Sangamo vice president the state Department of J.C. Hydrick signed the Hoaith and Environmental two-page agreement with Control. EPA and DHEC, including EPA regional admin what Ravan said were istrator Jack E. Kavan "very stringent condi said the settlement is a tions." aignificam step toward In addition to the zero ending the PCB pollution PCB level by Nov. 1, 1977, problem In Lake Hartwell. the company also agreed The Pickens Company to a new set of limits that was to have reduced levels take effect Friday. of the toxic chemical to At that time the PCB one part per billion in its discharge into a Lake wastewater discharge by Hartwell tributary can Oct. 2, according to an average no more than one- EPA order. fourth of on ounce per day Figures released over a 20-day period. Wednesday show the com- Ravan said this roughly Hhas not reached that but no immodinte ac equals 1.7 to 1.8 parts per billion. tion was taken to force The company can dis Sangamo. (Continued from p. l-A) level of one part per bil lion or one-sixth of an clean up the discharge," Ravan said. ounce which it was to have achieved two weeks ago. Ihe company will drop the law suit it filed (hat charged EPA was "arbi The November 1977 date for eliminating PCBs from use is roughly the same date the PCB manufac trary and capricious'* in turer, The Monsanto setting the original one Corp., has set as its last part per billion limit. sales of the chemical Ravan said the plant's PCB discharge is "de creasing significantly." Latest EPA data show PCB levels in the dis charge have been as low as 7.9 parts per billion on Oct. 7 and 8. Hydrick said EPA officials said a twomonth-old warning stiJ) stands against eating fish taken from the lake. High evels of PCBs were found in fish taken from there earlier this year. he expects later figures to be even lower. "We think Sangamo has made a good faith effort to aim an up. date on the warning may be made later this week or early next weak. compliance. Rnvnn said legal compli charge no more than one ounce of the chemical on ance proceedings could drag on for months with any given day. Sangamo has until April out any significant pro gress being made In stop ping the PCD problem. 1, 1977 to reach the PCB (Sec Sangamo, p. 2-A) "! know that this clean up is (aster than any t could get any other way,** t Ravnu said. According to law, EPA could have sought to close dOA'n the plant tor violat ing federal wastewater discharge laws. Out Kavan told Sangamo- official*! that would have been a last resort. "There is no desire io see your facility closed,*' Raven n,tid. "We appreci HONS 053151 ate what you mean to (hat mv.1," he said ol the flbO- empfoyu |>/an<.