Document evm1p1z3KbK1VkvGjwaEz60my

Pongl|Urr)ialr Saurual POUGHKEEPSIE. N. Y. D. 35.739 SUN. 41.003 JAN 17 1976 r Environmental PCI Rtmim , By JIM DETJEN I Journal gull Wrltar Mld-Hudaon. area environmental leaden eharnly crlticieed etate Commerce Commieaioner John Dyaon Friday lor hie talament* Vadaeiday that PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl*) reiulation thould be left up to the federal (ovemment. Term* euch a* "opportunletic", "irruponeible", "deepicable" and "uneducated" ware typically ueed to deecrlbe Dyeon'e comment* that the etate Department of Environmental Conearvatlon ehould abruptly and it* hearing* on PCB contamination of the Hudaon River. Hie *tata DEC ha* brought suit agalnat the General Electric Co. in an effort to halt the oompany'* discharge of the tonic cndiutrtal chemical into the Hud*on by Sept. 30,1(7*. "Dyson'* uneducated comment* are nothing ihort of dupicable," said Clearwater People'* Plpewatch director John Harris-Cronln. "Dyaon ha* lumped on the PCB't bandwagon fotaly far political reasons. Hi* oomment* are entirely out of line." Dyson called a pres* conference Wednesday to say that "New York cannot afford to take the lead" in solving problem* such as PCB'* pollution. He said he had been in formed that If the company were required to halt it* pollution by this September, the General Electric plant* at Hudson Falla and Fort Edward could be forced to shut down resulting in the potential loss of 1,200 lob*. Joseph Lombardi, the recentlyelected chairman of the county legislature' environmental control committee termed Dyson'* com ments "unfortunate". "Risclearthat (See ENVIRONMENTAL Pag* 7.y~ * Environmental i ^ From Pag* On* Protection Agency," he said, "in Poughkeepsie the health of thousands '' Dyaon doesn't understand the full 1 potential of the danger of PCB of people art at stake. Numerous scientists have testified that PCB's pollution," Lombardi said. "One of the functions of government is to are a significant health haiard.. How can Dyson be so uneducated ?" proteet the life and liberty of its - Harris-Cronin said Dyson com citizens. And I think it is very clear pletely ignored the danger of PCB's now that PCB's represent a clear and present danger in the Hudson River. " Norman Van Valkenburgh, the when he was commissioner of Agriculture and Markets. "Dyson's motivations are purely political. newly appointed regional director of General Electric has the money to the state Department of En halt PCB pollution if it wants to," he vironmental Conservation, said in an - said. "But they are refusing to do so interview in his New Pelts office that and consequently endangering the Dyeon has failed to consider the health of thousands of people. And -impact PCB pollution has had on Dyson is plpying exactly into GE's destroying jobs. "The Hudson River hands." fishery was once an important in dustry for the region. Yet because of v industrial pollution such as PCB's the river's fishingindustry has gone aJJ to hall," he said. "The role of DEC is to protect the environment and health of the region and that is what wa are trying to do." - Harris-Cronin, who has been in volved in documenting evidence of - PCB pollution in the Hudaon River, aid the issue of losing Jobs is a facade. "Tuck Industries in Beacon \ said they would close down if they L were farced to comply with en- 1 vironmental regulations be said. "Well, they pleaded guilty to 12 counts of violating water pollution statutes and are now being forced to comply with the law. And f think it is evident that Tuck Industries has not had to close up shop." Mike Rosenthal, the new chairman of the Dutchess County En vironmental Management Council, aid ha believed Dyson's comments were irresponsible. "It is clear that he Just doesn't understand how dangerous a substance PCB's are. In the New York Times article today Dyaon admitted ha had not read all of the hearing testimony or the scientific literature on the subject. Well how can he responsibly make the , statements he nas?" said Rosenthal, 1 who is a professor of chemistry at Bard College. , ' ` David Seymour, the president of | the Hudson River Fishermen's Association , said Dyson's comments ! were "Insensitive" because he knew i that Environmental Conservation Commissioner Ogden Reid could not I comment on a hearing now in process. Seymour also declined further comment, because of his association's role' In the case, and said he would await the outcome of the hearing. Harris-Cronin was strongly critical of Dyson's minimising the danger of PCB's in Poughkeepsie's drinking water. "Already the levels of PCB's in the city's drinking water supplies are . so great that the city may not even HONS 032897 meet the proposed water quality regulations of the Environmental