Document Zk47zVeExp05wXVNo84wwg4O

;, phFoeolrribetiicscatiedlrems bocaavnell fyilrO~fi tt-f-UrJM-rft-U---F--Fr-l j MIDLAND. Mich. -- Forestry scientists and chem- k s t industry representative*. smarting from the feder al baa on the use of two herbicides, have been en gaged in a four-day. around-the-clock evaluation of the report upon which the Environmental Protection Agency based its decision. The consensus Sunday was thst the EPA manipu lated research data in "a glaring example of sacrific ing science for political expediency," according to one member of th riro u p . Michael Newton, a professor of forestry at Oregon State University. "We don't understand it," said Gary Jones, spokes man for Dow Chemical Co., the principal manufactur er of 2,4.5-T, one of two herbicides banned by the EPA last week. "We thought we were getting along well with the EPA " he said. " We've been working very closely with them. This hit us like a brick." Although earlier reports said there appeared to be a s csuse and effect relationship between spraying of 2,15-T and miscarriages in Alsea. O re, the EPA last week suspended use of that herbicide and Silvex be cause "studies . . . show a high miscarriage rate im mediately following the spraying of 2,4,5-T in the forests around Alsea." Siivex also contains minute traces of a chemical contaminant, TCDD, one of 75 dioxins the EPA in the past has linked w ith birth defects and cancer. Jones said that although Dow, with corporate headquarters in Midland, still hasn't officially been notified by the EPA of the suspension order, the com pany will resist the decision through the federal age- cy's appellate channels. An EPA spokesman said that notification was sent by registered mail to all chemi cal registrants last Thursdiy. Officials of Dow called the meeting to work o u t strategy to fight what ft and other herbicide and forestry Intkresu see a t arbitrary action on the part of the EPA. nrtlcpaats at the meeting also included University of Michigan and Oregoo S u i t University forestry scientists, who have lent their expertise in the evalua tion of the EPA* Alsea study. The sgency studied six years of hospital records In the Alsea area, where the agency assumed women had been exposed to herbicides, in Corvallis and in Mai- beur County. Corvallis was chosen as an urban "con trol" area and Malheur County was chosen as the rural "control" as locations where the berbiddes were not used. The agency claimed it fonnd a definite relationship between "heavy herbicide spraying and miscar riages." . The spraying was heaviest during March, April and May. the EPA report states. In June, an Increased number of miscarriages was reported. Scientists and industry officials at the meeting believe the EPA's Alsea study makes a number of unsupported assumptions: -- EPA assumed w ithout docum entation th st women in the urban control area of Corvallis were not exposed to 2.4.5-T or Sltvex, although, according to records supplied to The Oregonlsn from three retail outlets in CorvaiHs, at teast 500 galloos of an herbicide used for controlling lawn weeds in urban areas and containing Siivex were sold during the last year. -- The rural control area in Malheur County Is in the middle of th e Vale irrigation project on lower Malheur River. Although the EPA was told by the Bureau of Land Management that 2,4.5-T has not been used on BLM land since 1972. the rural control area is la an Irrigation firming district where a variety of pesticides are used as common agricultural tools. -- EPA assumed that the June peak in miscar riages was actually a delayed effect of herbicide praying. The EPA did not check for June peaks in other arras around the country. Hospitals in Midland Ml Miami show stmiisr June peaks in miscarriages for which obstetricians have no explanation. -- The EPA failed to piece significance in the fact titot at the actual time of spraying, the rate of miscar- Stage was at its lowest. (Barbara Nlom, deputy direc tor os toe ETA. had said wften the suspension was announced that th* ban was Issued because EPA stn- dins shewed a high incidence of mtseamage immsdi- SSty foUsmap the w a v in g of 2.4.VT i. -- There is no data tn the EPA report to supown the notion that the women in the Aiwa arcs and tn* twn rnntrot wer* miar in *e* arm oraer fee toft. Nor dd the EPA allow lor nutntmnst om -renre among to# groups that might hevs led to unacomrngw