And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1998 13:06:26 EST >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: [DOEWatch] States get together to protect Smokies ---- Ozone-----SNS----power usage > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Source: ><A HREF="http://www.oakridger.com/stories/122398/stt_1223980005.html"> >http://www.oakridger.com/stories/122398/stt_1223980005.html >======================================================== >December 23, 1998 > >States get together to protect Smokies > >by Paul Nowell >Associated Press > > CHARLOTTE -- North Carolina has signed an agreement that Tennessee and the >federal government reached earlier to protect Great Smoky Mountains National >Park from industrial pollution. > Tuesday's announcement came as a Dec. 31 deadline for the air quality >accord's expiration was approaching. If another state did not sign the >agreement by the end of the year, it would have been nullified. > "The agreement is an important step toward protecting air quality in North >Carolina's most pristine areas, from the Great Smoky Mountains to the coast," >said Wayne McDevitt, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environment >and Natural Resources, who signed the document on Gov. Jim Hunt's behalf. > The agreement, or memorandum of understanding, now takes effect March 1. It >also includes a sunset clause that calls for the pact to expire if at least >one other Southeastern state does not sign it by the end of 2000. > Tennessee had signed on last year to the agreement with the U.S. Department >of Interior, after a compromise with business interests was reached. > The national park is suffering from high levels of ozone and other air >pollutants. The pact calls for early notification if an air-polluting industry >wants to locate or expand near the park or other protected areas. > In October, some 200 people showed up at the hearing at the University of >North Carolina at Asheville to listen to officials from both states as well as >the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service. > Several speakers complained about personal property rights or suggested >that such a pact would put the two states at a competitive disadvantage >against other Southeastern states in the high-stakes game of industrial >recruiting. > Despite some opposition, most of the speakers urged North Carolina >officials to sign the agreement. > The proposal would give federal agencies a clearer role in reviewing the >impact of large new or expanding industries on the mountains and wilderness >areas. Federal law gives national parks and wildernesses of more than 5,000 >acres special protection. > This summer record ozone levels were recorded in the North Carolina >mountains, and manmade haze obscured visibility in the national park. > According to Jim Renfro, the park's air resource specialist, haze has cut >the average visibility at the park from 93 miles to 22. Acid rain has tainted >mountain streams, and high ozone levels are causing leaves on some 30 plant >species to turn yellow or fall off. > The smog also causes breathing problems in people. On 43 days this summer, >the air exceeded the federal health standard. > The proposed agreement explains what information federal agencies can >require from industries and on what timetable. > Industry groups have been fighting the proposed agreement. They say it does >not set clear standards and could cost extra time and money to satisfy the >federal agencies. > "Here at the 11th hour, we have a rush to judgment," Ed Scott of North >Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry said prior to Tuesday's >announcement. > "We are being perceived as evil and the business community is very >frustrated," he said. "We don't feel like we had a fair hearing." > Scott said his organization's stance is that North Carolina should have >waited until after the Governor's Summit on Mountain Air Quality next April in >Asheville, which will be hosted by Hunt. > ======================================================== > >Comments: > > Well one thing to notice is Oak Ridge is wanting an SNS project which uses >a lot of electricity--------it is a linear accelerators------which are very >power hogging. This means the area coal fired power plants--Bull Run and >Kingston steam plants of TVA will have to burn a lot more coal and emit a lot >more NOx and SOx and more ozone----------Oak Ridge projects affect the >Smokies. Also, Oak Ridge wastes affect the smokies as all the radiation in >contact with air makes ozone---------tons of it. Upping the area coal burn >will also increase the low dose heavy metals everyone in the area breathes >which will in turn go to bone and affect immune health. Uranium and mercury >and other bone seeking trace metals are released to air via coal burning. >There are was to filter this out some and protect the public and the rising >health crisis--------and we need this more than an SNS. > > The environmental impact statements on SNS will likely try to leave off >the power usage and health considerations and the effects on the smokies that >are full of dead trees now. The SNS needs to use a full systems model and >recognize this is a superfund site and that we don't need to increase power >usage for the smokies and for the publics health. > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >To unsubscribe from this mailing list, or to change your subscription >to digest, go to the ONElist web site, at http://www.onelist.com and >select the User Center link from the menu bar on the left. > <<<<=-=-=FREE LEONARD PELTIER=-=-=>>>> If you think you are too small to make a difference; try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.... African Proverb <<<<=-=http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ =-=>>>> IF it says: "PASS THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW...." Please Check it before you send it at: http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm
