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Forum Discusses
Acid Rain Threat
Is acid rain, or 'atmospheric
deposition' a critical issue for
Western North Carolina? Experts
who spoke at a recent forum held at
UNC-Asheville agree that it is
The forum, sponsored by Western
North Carolina Tomorrow and the
North Carolina Board of Science and
i Technology, presented opinions on
' the issue from enviornmentalists.
utility companies and the federal
government.
"People must be willing to pay ad
ditionally to solve the problems of
acid rain," said Lynn Greenwalt of
the National Wildlife Foundation
(NWF), a 4.5 million-member
organization.
Greenwalt told the forum, "The
problem of acid rain may amke us
take notice of the fact that things do
not just go away and solve
themselves." The NWF vice presi
dent said that everything is related in
our ecological system and that acid
rain will effect many facets of life.
Dr. Eldon Ross of the Southeast
Forest Experimental Station in
Asheville agreed with Greenwalt's
conclusions and called for additional
research on the effects of acid rain of
the air, plants and soil.
Ross said that studies haye shown
that trees above 6350 feet in elevation
show marked growth reduction which
can be attributed to acid rain. He said
that growth reduction was found in all
trees and age classes. Fish deaths in
acidic lakes was another side-effect
of acid rain Ross cited in his address.
Dr. Ron Eller of Mars Hill College
and Bob Satterwhite of Asheville
presented the humanistic perspective
of the problem, while Doug Neeley of
the Tennessee Valley Authority and
Keith Snipe of Duke Power presented
the position of industrial utilities at
the forum.
Neeley told the forum that TVA has
undertaken what he called, "an am
bitious sulfur dioxide emission reduc
tion program."
The federal government's position
on acid rain was presented by Roger
Morris of the Dept. of Energy. Morris
said that the federal government
believes that research has failed thus
far to identify the extent of damages
caused by add rain.
Morris said that since enactment of
the Clean Air Act, sulfur oxide emis
sions, a major cause of acid rain,
have declined by more than IS per
cent. Morris said the Reagan ad
ministration has requested $127
million for acid rain research in 1985. ,
In his closing remarks. Dr. Newton
Smith, chairman of Western North
Carolina Tomorrow's Cultural
Resources Committee said, "We may
not know exactly what the problem is,
but it is out there. We have lakes dy
ing, fish being killed, forests damag
ed, soils altered, an increase in
respiratory disorders, corrosion of
buildings and monuments and the
rain, the sleet, the fog and the snow
are carrying and depositing acids and
other atmospheric depositions as
regularly as our postal service car
ries and deposits junk mail to us."
Videotape copies of the forum are
available by contacting Susan Smith
of Western North Carolina Tomorrow
at 227-7492.
LYNN GREENWALT
will to i _ .
income elderly and handi- J
capped familiM who an able to quality i
lor and utilize 2 or 3 bedroom unite. Low 1
and moderate income tamilies in general (
comprising 3 or More ?awfcari art alto 1
elifible to apply. Please coma to ...
Madison County Housini Authority
office. Main Straot, Marshall between !
B:30 and 4:30 daily to apply. You must '
be prepared to provide documented proof !
91 income and out-of-pocket monthly
medical expenses on demand.
Sen. Helms Outlines
'85 Agriculture Agenda
Sen. Jesse Helms last week outlin
ed what he believed would be the like
ly agenda for agricultural legislation
when the 99th Congress opens next
month in Washington. Helms is the
chairman of the Senate Agriculture
Committee.
Helms said he is working on a farm
bill prescribing a course of market
orientation aimed at restoring pro
fitability to U.S. Fanners. In a press
statement released Friday, Helms
said, "Obviously, 1905 will be a
crucial year for farm policy in this
country, given the fact that the ex
isting farm policy is both counter
productive and far too costly. It won't
be easy, but it will be in the best in
terests of both farmers and tax
payers, if Congress approves farm
legislation that is market-oriented,
flexible, internally consistent, long
term in design and sensitive to all
elements of the production system."
When Congress returns to work
next month, the legislators will have
to enact legislation to continue price
supports for basic farm commodities
audi as wheat, peanuts, soybeans,
sugar, milk, wool and mohair
Numerous other agriculture pro
grams will also expire in IMS is
legislation is not introduced to extend
them. Included in these are the Food
for Peace program, food stamps, the
milk assessment authority, Com
modity Credit Carp donations to
military and Veterans' Admonistra
tion hospitals, the Agricultural Ex
port Credit Revolving Fund and
various research and extension pro
grams.
Helms said that export programs
will also be a major part of farm
legislation. Helms said, "One of the
keys to a workable, market-oriented
policy is a world market that is free,
fair and open. If our farmers are will
ing to be price competitive, then Con
gress must ensure that they are get
ting a fair shake in world markets.
Soil conservation is also likely to
receive Cong ess' attention in 1965,
Helms said. The Soil and Water Con
servation Act of 1977 expires at the
end of 1985. Helms said that "The
operation of currant (arm program*
has done much to squander our aoil
and water reaourcee. Aa we look at a
aenaible, long-range approach to
farm policy, we muat be rare our
commodity programa are working in
tandem with conservation
programs."
Helms said his committee may also
need to amend the Rural Electrifica
tion Act during the Mth Congress'
first session. Efforts to amend the act
were unsuccessful during the 98th
Congress, Helms said, adding that
amendments are needed to ensure
the future solvency of the electric and
telephone revolving fund.
Helms said, "A great deal of work
went into this REA legislation last
year, and it is important to keep that
momentum going to see this issue
resolved. Congress must pass a REA
bill that will keep the revolving fund
self-sufficient while providing for the
legitimate credit needs of rural
eletric and telephone cooperatives."
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