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MEMORANDUM TO: SUBJECT: P. E. Robinson Lead Industries Association NBC News Chronolog February 1, 1972 Enclosed is a draft telegram to send to Julian Goodman, president, National Broadcasting Company, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10020. In addition we have listed below others vdio should probably get copies of the telegram if you decide to send it. You might also want to consider contacting LIA attorneys first. I have also enclosed copies of NBC news releases and PR Newswire stories which were sent out about Chronolog. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Best regards. RAR/rs Encs. cc: J. L. Kimberley J. Smith J. F. Cole C. Thompson Robert A. Rogers Copies of telegram should be sent to: Reuben Frank, president, NBC News Eliot Frankel, executive producer, NBC News David Schmerler, producer, Chronolog LIA-76172 DRAFT -- 2/1/72 The Friday, January 28, 1972, segment of Chronolog devoted to lead, represents a most blatant disregard for the fairness doctrine and balanced reporting. The segment presented an array of anti-lead spokesmen and statements, often distorting or disregarding true scientific findings, in order to build a biased and untrue case against uses of lead. For instance, the program completely ignored the recent report on lead in the environment by the distinguished National Academy of Sciences. This was based on a review of massive scientific research that has been carried on for decades. -We urgently request a meeting with you and other NBC officials to seek ways to remedy this inaccurate public impression of lead uses and problems that resulted from this program. May we have a proposed meeting time and date from you as soon as possible? Thank you. Philip E. Robinson Executive Vice President Lead Industries Association LIA-76173 N 857.01 Press DepartmentNational Broadcasts Comoarty / 30 Rockefelle' Plaza / New York, N.Y. 10020 / BROADCASTING'S LARGEST NEWS ORGANIZATION -- January 11, 1972 DANGER OF GETTING LEAD POISONING FROM EVERYDAY ITEMS EXAMINED IN REPORT TO BE PRESENTED ON 'CHRONOLOG' Like to chew on painted wooden pencils? Don't. Drink citrus fruit juice from a made-in-Mexico ceramic cup? Don't. ...But what counsel give a man who breathes the air around him? The hazards of lead poisoning from such diverse sources as paint and plaster, ceramic glazes, painted surfaces of pencils, and automobile exhaust will be graphically documented in a filmed report to be presented by NBC News' "Chronolog" Friday, Jan. 28 (8:30-10:30 p.m. NYT, in color). According to the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 1*00,000 children are affected each year by lead in paint -- peeling paint and falling plaster they put into their mouths -- and that 200 die and several thousand are victims of serious brain damage. A "Chronolog" film crew headed by producer David Schmerler covered the work being done by the University of Rochester Medical Center, one of the world's leading centers for research in the toxicology of heavy metals. Scientists there, and a community group (SPAN), have just completed a survey on what is happening in Rochester's inner city. It revealed that more than one-third of the young children they tested had levels of lead in their blood much higher than they should be; six percent had levels that were dangerously high. NBC News correspondent Garrick Utley, the program's anchorman, interviewed parents there, including one whose son was badly damaged by lead poisoning. He also interviews two men who have sponsored lead poisoning prevention legislation: Rep. William F. Ryan (D.-N.Y.) and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D.-Mass.). (more) LIA-76174 N 857.02 'Chronolog' - 2 The report notes that many ceramic glazes are made with lead which, if not properly treated, "leeches" out from cups, plates and pitchers. "Any. kind of acid food will leech the lead out," Mr. Schmerler says. "There have been a number of cases of lead poisoning in children who drank juice that was stored in a ceramic pitcher. The most dangerous stuff comes from Mexico." Six ceramic pieces Mr. Schmerler bought in New York City gift shops -- some of them imported -- were subjected to tests in the Monroe County Public Health Laboratory in Rochester. The tests showed that two pieces had high levels of lead, two were higher in lead than they ought to be, one was borderline, one had no lead. Viewers also will visit the New York City Public Health Laboratory, which has discovered that the paint on pencils has a high lead content. The Laboratory also has found that house paint commonly sold in New York City oftei has an extremely high level of lead in it. "The city has banned this," Mr. Schmerler says, "but the law is not effectively enforced." Visits also are paid to the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, Calif.; and Trace Elements Laboratory, Brattleboro, Vt. The subject of the high level of lead in the air people breathe -- lead coming from auto exhaust -- also will be examined. Additional stories will be announced for this edition of "Chronolog. Eliot Frankel is the program's executive producer. ----------o---------NBC-New York, 1/11/72 LIA-76175 ( W NBC PRESS -13- 'CHRONOLOG* FOR RELEASE FRIDAY A.M. JAN. 28 THE ANIMALS LIVING IN 0UT200R CAGES IN NEW YORK CITY'S ZOOS ARE BEING POISONED -- AND SOME ARE DYING -- BECAUSE OF THE HIGH LEVEL OF LEAD IN THE AIR. SOON IT MAY NO LONGER BE POSSIBLE TO EXHIBIT THE ANIMALS OUTDOORS. THESE FINDINGS ARE REVEALED IN A REPORT ON THE HAZARDS OF LEA9 POISONING TO BE PRESENTED ON NSC NEWS' "CHRONOLOG" TONIGHT (FRIDAY, JAN. 23) ON THE N3C TELEVISION NETWORK. A BRONX ZOO VETERINARIAN, DR. EMIL DOLENSEK, SAYS: "I DON'T SEE WHERE WE CAN HONESTLY CONTINUE TO SHOW LARGE CATS OUTDOORS ANYMORE. AS FAR AS ANY NEW ENCLOSURES THAT UE MAKE, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD ENCLOSURES WITH FILTERED AIR SYSTEMS." DR. RALPH STRE3EL OF NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE, COMMENTING ON THE CHRONIC TOXICITY PROBLEM, SAYS: "WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE IT CERTAINLY COMES FROM THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE AIR, BECAUSE OTHERWISE THE SOILS AROUND THE ZOO VOULD NOT BE ACCUMULATING AS MUCH LEAD AS THEY PRESENTLY HAVE. THE NORMAL AMOUNT OF LEAD IN THE EARTH'S CRUST IS ONLY ABOUT 10 TO 15 PARTS PER MILLION. AND WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THE SOIL AT THE CENTRAL PARK ZOO HAD OVER 500 PARTS PER MILLION, THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION." THE LEAD THAT IS POISONING THE ZOO ANIMALS COMES FROM LEADED GASOLINE, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT GARRICK UTLEY, THE PROGRAM'S ANCHORMAN, NOTES. "AUTOMOBILES PUT TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND TONS OF TOXIC LEAD INTO YOUR URBAN ENVIRONMENT EVERY YEAR," HE SAYS. "IT'S TOO MUCH FOR THE ANIMALS TO TAKE." DR. DENNIS CRASTON OF NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE POINTS OUT THE MENACE TO HUMANS. "THESE ARE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS NOT ONLY FOR THE ANIMALS WHO ARE LIVING IN THE CONFINEMENT OF THE ZOO," HE SAYS, "BUT OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO LIVING IN THE CLOSE NEIGHBORHOOD OR EVEN COME THERE JUST AS VISITORS. "IT SEEMS THAT ALL YOUNG LIVING THINGS ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO LEAD AND THAT BABIES BEING BORN TODAY HAVE HIGH LEAD LEVELS. AND THIS IS AN OMINOUS SIGN, BECAUSE THEY'RE STARTING OUT WITH A HIGH LEAD LEVEL AMD WE KNOW THAT LEAD ACCUMULATES OVER THE LIFETIME, AND THEREFORE BY THE .TIME JHEY REACH AN ADULT AGE THEY MAY VERY -WELL BE IN TROUBLE." NBC PRESS DESK 1/27/1245P WM LIA-76176 N 857.03 (' #u NBC PRESS -12- ATT* NEWS BESXS AND TV EDITORS -0- WILLIAM D. RUCKLESHAUS, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE U.3. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, REVEALED IN AN INTERVIEW FILMED FOR PRESENTATION ON NSC NEWS' "CHRONOLOG" TONIGHT (FRIDAY) ON THE NDC TELEVISION NETWORK THAT LEAD AS AN ADDITIVE WILL BE PHASED OUT OF GASOLINE COMPLETELY "PROBABLY VERY SHORTLY AFTER 1975." NBC NEVS CORRESPONDENT GARRICK UTLEY INTERVIEWED MR. RUCKELSHAUS AS PART OF A REPORT ON THE HAZARDS OF LEAD POISONING. FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE INTERVIEW* UTLEY: WE HAVE HAD MANY WARNINGS ABOUT THE SANGER OF LEAD IN THE ATMOSPHERE. A MAIN SOURCE OF IT IS LEAD BASED GASOLINE. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT AND WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? A MAN WHO CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION IS WILLIAM RUCKELSHAUS THE HEAD OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, MR. RUCKELSHAUS, HOW LONG HAVE YOU SEEN CONDUCTING STUDIES ON THIS PROBLEM? 'RUCKELSHAUS* WELL UE'VE BEEN CONDUCTING STUDIES--NOT OUR AGENCY BUT THE AGENCY THAT WE INHERITED FROM THE NATIONAL AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ADMINISTRATION--FOR YEARS ON THE IMPACT OF LEAD NOT ONLY IN THE ATMOSPHERE BUT ALSO FROM A LEAD BASED PAINT AND LEAD THAT YOU GENERALLY INGEST IN FOODS, FOR MANY YEARS. WE STILL HAVE HUGE GAPS IN OUR KNOWLEDGE AS TO THE PRECISE HEALTH IMPACT AT WHAT LEVEL OF THE INGESTION OF LEAD AND WHERE THE TOTAL BODY BURDEN OF LEAD COMES FROM. * UTLEYS BUT IN TERMS OF GASOLINE YOU ARE AT LEAST SATISFIED THAT THERE IS ENOUGH OF A HEALTH PROBLEM TO GO AHEAD WITH THIS PROBLEM? R'KS* YES WE ARE. OUR INFORMATION SHOWS THAT THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF LEAD IN THE ATMOSPHERE. ABOVE CERTAIN LEVELS CAN BE SERIOUS. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE DISPUTE OVER JUST WHAT THE IMPACT ON HEALTH IS OF LEAS IN THE ATMOSPHERE BUT U BELIEVE THERE IS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE OF DELETERIOUS IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH OF LEAD ABOVE CERTAIN LEVELS IN THE ATMOSPHERE THAT IT OUGHT TO BE REGULATED AND THE WAY WE THINK IT CAN BE REGULATED BEST IS THROUGH REGULATING ITS EXISTENCE IN GASOLINE AND THEREBY REDUCING IT FROM THE EMISSIONS FROM THE AUTOMOBILE. UTLEY* WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE PROGRAM MOW IT STARTS IN YOUR AGENCY WILL YOU DRAW UP GUIDELINES OR CONCRETE PROPOSALS? R* HS* J WILL ISSUE REGULATIONS WHICH WILL REGULATE THE LIA-76177 ADDITIVES THAT ARE PUT IN FUEL UNDER SECTION 211 OF THE CLEAN AIR ACT -- WE RAVE TWO AUTHORITIES TO REGULATE ADDITIVES IN GASOLINE NOT ONLY LEA? BUT ANY OTHER KIND OF ADDITIVE ONE IS IF THAT ADDITIVE CREATES A HEALTH HAZARD, WE CAN REGULATE IT AND IN THIS CASE WE THINK IT DOES, OR IF THE ADDITIVE, THE REGULATION OF THE ADDITIVE IS NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE COMPANIES TO NEST THE 1975 STANDARDS DOTH OF THESE APPLY, UNDER SECTION 211 AND IT'S UNDER Aiit und rt y t h a t uF WILL ISSUE REGULATIONS GENERALLY REGULATING THE WAY UE UiiuA u v.*., -- ... . EXISTENCE IN GASOLINE AND THEREBY REDUCING n ffM _________ FKOM THE a u t o mo b il e . UTLEY: WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE PROGRAM NOW IT STARTS IN YO'JR . AGENCY WILL YOU DRAW UP GUIDELINES OR CONCRETE PROPOSALS? R'HS: WE WILL ISSUE REGULATIONS WHICH WILL REGULATE THE ABBITIVES THAT ARE PUT IN FUEL UNDER SECTION 211 OF THE CLEAN AIR ACT -- UE HAVE TWO AUTHORITIES TO REGULATE ADDITIVES IN GASOLINE NOT ONLY LEAD BUT ANY OTHER KIND OF ADDITIVE ONE IS IF THAT ADDITIVE CREATES A HEALTH HAZARD, WE CAN REGULATE IT AND IN THIS CASE U . THINK IT DOES, OR IF THE ADDITIVE, THE REGULATION OF THE ADDITIVE iS NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE COMPANIES TO MEET THE 1075 'STANDARDS BOTH OF THESE APPLY, UNDER SECTION 211 AMD IT'S UNDER THIS AUTHORITY THAT UE UILL ISSUE REGULATIONS GENERALLY REGULATING IT IN THE FUEL ITSELF. r~ \ LIA-76178 ui^c.i > i ii nc.ni'i i nn * h j u rtiii in rnvun vr ti;r. iUiJU LC.aJ BASED GASOLINE OR OF BANNING IT AS ... OF A CERTAIN BATE? ` R'HS: MMMOUR REGULATIONS HAVE NOT AS YET BEEN ISSUES BUT THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING IS TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE CLASS OR ONE BRAND OF GASOLINE GENERALLY AVAILABLE BY 1975 AN9 GRADUALLY PHASE OUT THE USE OF LEAD AS AN ADDITIVE IN GASOLINE. THE PACE AT WHICH IT'S PHASED OUT DEPENDS VERY GREATLY ON HOW WE VIEW THE IMPACT NOT ONLY ON HEALTH CUT ON THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY AND HOW BEST THIS PHASING PROCESS CAN WORK SO AS TO CAUSE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC DISLOCATION TO THE COUNTRY. UTLEY: YOU SAY IT MEANS THAT BY 1975 A GUARANTEED LEAD-FREE GASOLINE ON THE MARKET AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE? BY WHAT DAY WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ALL LEAD BASED GASOLINE REMOVED FROM THE MARKET? R'HSl WELL THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE STILL CONSIDERING: AT WHAT PACE UE WILL PHASE LEAD OUT OF GASOLINE COMPLETELY AND THERE ARE ARGUMENTS AND VALID ARGUMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE FOR ONE PHASING PROCESS OR ANOTHER. AND REALLY BEFORE THE REGULATION FINALLY COMES OUT IT'S TOO EARLY FOR ME TO SAY EXACTLY VHAT FORM IT WILL TAKE IT WILL BE PROBABLY VERY SHORTLY AFTER 1975 THAT THE LEAD AS AN ADDITIVE IS PHASED OUT COMPLETELY OF GASOLINE. UTLEY: MANY PROBLEMS IN THE ENVIRONMENT FIELD ARE FINALLY ACTED ON BY GOVERNMENT AFTER A GREAT DEAL OF PUBLIC OPINION HAS BEEN MOBILIZED, AND ARTICULATED IS THAT THE CASE HERE OR IN THE CASE OF LEAD IN GASOLINE IS IT MORE DUE TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH? R'HS: IF THE PUBLIC SAYS WE WANT CLEAN AIR AND WE WANT PURE WATER. THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL RESPOND TO THAT LEGITIMATE PUBLIC DEMAND BY PROVIDING CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER BUT AS TO HOW THEY GO ABOUT IT, AND WHAT SPECIFIC SUBSTANCES ARE TAKEN OUT OF THE AIR SO AS TO CLEAN IT OR OUT OF THE WATER SO- AS TO MAKE IT PURE, SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO SCIENTIFIC DETERMINATION BECAUSE THERE'S NO REASON TO RESPOND TO PU3LIC PRESSURE TO REMOVE A CERTAIN SUBSTANCE FROM THE AIR OR THE WATER IF THERE'S NO PUBLIC BENEFIT TO BE GAINED THEREBY AND OUR DECISION TO REMOVE LEAD OR TO PHASE IT OUT OF THE USE AS A GASOLINE ADDITIVE IS BASED UPON WHAT WE CONCEIVE TO BE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST THE PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE INSURANCE THAT THESE STANDARDS CAN BE MET BY 1975. UTLEY: BO YOU SEE ANY ORGANIZES OR STRONG OR MEANINGFUL OPPOSITION TO THE REMOVAL OF LEAD FROM GASOLINE EITHER IN INDUSTRY OR FROM OTHER SECTORS, OR IS EVERYBODY FOR CLEAN GASOLINE? R'HS: NO EVERYBODY'S FOR CLEAN GASOLINE JUST AS EVERYBODY'S FOR CLEAN WATER AND CLEAN AIR BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT DEGREES OF FERVOR AS TO HOW STRONGLY THEY BELIEVE THAT WE OUGHT TO HAVE CLEAN AIR OR CLEAN WATER. . NBC PRESS DESK * 1/2S/348P WM . CLEAR,. LIA-76179