Document evyQL9omMpYgRYvknmmm1D98M

CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION January 7, 1988 Mr. Peter L. de la Cruz Keller and Heckman 1150 17th Street, NW Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20036 Dear Mr. de la Cruz: Thank you for your correspondence of December 30 regarding the Vinyl Chloride Mutual Aid Assistance program. We recognize this program was never formalized, and that it was more of a "gentlemen's" agreement among the producers involved. However, during the years it was active, the program was one of the better tools CHEMTREC was able to use to the industry's advantage. Quite often during a train derailment actual shipper identification is impossible to obtain at the time of initial call to CHEMTREC. It was quite valuable to have this resource for VCM response available during such instances. During the later part of 1986, an attempt was made by us to revive the program. Each listed member was approached and asked to indicate his preference to one of three options. They were: 1) continue and reorganize the VCM plan to reflect the SPI withdrawal from sponsorship of the plan; 2) incorporate the VCM plan into the CHEMNET program; and 3) disband the VCM mutual aid plan without additional action. The majority preferred to disband. Although our records were modified to indicate that the VCM plan no longer existed, some references remained in our operations manual and thus a recent attempt was made to activate the system. Please be assured all files and references to this voluntary program have been removed from our operational files. Sincerely, JJM/ejf Director, National Chemical Response and Information Center (NCRIC) Formerly Manufacturing Chemists Association--Serving the Chemical Industry Since 1872. 2501 M Street. NW Washington, OC 20037 Telephone 202/887-1100 Telex 89617 (CMA WSH) VVV 000005022