Document omkRnbGqvQ32wGqOQkRre1wzg

FILE NAME Newspaper & Magazine Articles NMA DATE 1974 Mar 25 DOC NMA083 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION NYT - Minnesota Communities Asked to Filter Water Minnesota Communitles Asked to Filter Water York Times to The New New York Times Current file Mar 25 1974. ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times 1851 - 2002 Pg 68 Minnesota Communities . Asked to Filter Water , Special The New York Times DULUTH Minn March 24- eral Government and nine other A Federal judge has urged this plaintiffs have contended that city and other Minnesota com- Reserve's discharge was the munities on Lake Superior source to of the asbestos fibers and that the tiny materials install filtration facilities capa were carried by lake currents ble of removing injurious as to Duluth other communi- bestos fibers from their drink tles along the western arm of ing water If the facilities are Lake Superior not installed Judge Miles Lord He spoke yesterday in the said the communities face the Federal Courthouse here at a possibility of increased cases public hearing that he had of cancer and other fiber called to alert area residents duced diseases to the problem Judge Lord told 120 Duluth Judge Lord has said that he residents and local officials will order Reserve to halt the here Friday that microscopic discharge and that the only fibers were being discharged question when he will set into the lake in great numbers a specific deadline for an end by the Reserve Mining Com to the year practice pany and that the only quick However he has said that he means to abate a very sub does not believe that residents stantial public health menace who use Lake Superior drinking was to have efficient water water share fully his concern filtration about the apparent health If we can't get water filtration in here the judge said I'm going to close the plant And those people will be out of work Since late 1955 Reserve has discharged 67,000 tons of ta conite wastes daily into Lake threat from the fibers His visit was intended he said to alert residents and to build a bon- fire under those responsible for filtering the water Environmental and health of- ficials told the judge filtration facilities could be installed on Superior from its processing a short basis to remove plant at Silver Minn a village 50 miles northeast of Duluth About half of the min ing company's 3.100 employes work at the plant making Re serve a major factor in the from 80 to 90 per cent of the fibers from municipal water supplies However Francis Mayo Middle West regional director of the United States En- vironmental Protection Agency permanent region's economy For almost eight Isaid that construction of more months and extensive facil- Judge Lord has been presiding ities that could remove more over a District Court trial in than 90 per cent of the fibers Minneapolis in which the Fed would take three years ~~ Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner Further withoutpermision