April 24, 1967
Page 10563
AMENDMENT OF CLEAN AIR ACT AMENDMENTS
AMENDMENTS NOS. I74 AND 175
Mr. RANDOLPH. Mr. President, late last week the President announced a vastly expanded program for research and development in control of sulfur emissions from fuels. This new program, which envisages a supplemental appropriation for fiscal year 1967 of $4.2 million, will require an additional authorization for fiscal year 1968 of $15 million. Added to the previously requested expansion in monetary authorization for air pollution this will bring the fiscal year 1968 funding level to $99 million.
Mr. President, ordinarily an amendment to a matter pending before the Subcommittee on Air and Water Pollution would be introduced by the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, Senator EDMUND S. MUSKIE, who has directed the major congressional efforts to secure effective air and water pollution control legislation for the past 5 years. Senator MUSKIE is unavoidably absent today. He has asked that I introduce this amendment, knowing of the concern of both my constituents and the people of the United States for early development of effective methods to control the emissions of sulfur into the atmosphere.
The control of sulfur emissions from fuels combustion is today primarily a matter of spending sufficient funds to achieve a desired goal. This fact is recognized by the fuels industry, both coal and oil, by the people responsible for the Federal air pollution control program, and by scientists and others with whom I have spoken. It is not a question of hopefully developing a method of control. It is, in fact, absolutely essential that effective control devices and methods be developed at the earliest possible date. The economy of the country is integrally related to its ability to produce an abundant supply of cheap electricity. In his letter accompanying the proposed amendment, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare John W. Gardner, stated that selection of low sulfur fuels for certain areas offers only a temporary solution. And this solution will be a painful one for the coal industry and must be used only when the public health is threatened.
I ask unanimous consent to insert the letter in the RECORD.
At the same time, we are charged with a continuing responsibility to assure maximum protection of the public health from air pollutants of any kind. Therefore, I repeat it is essential that we immediately engage in a crash development program to provide technically and economically feasible methods of controlling sulfur emissions from fuels combustion. I welcome the President's support in this matter and I congratulate him for this demonstrable evidence of his desire to secure effective air pollution control without undue economic dislocation. If the chairman of the subcommittee, Senator MUSKIE, were here today, he would fully endorse this position.
There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE.
The PRESIDENT,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR Mr. PRESIDENT: The Air Quality Act of 1967, transmitted to the Congress on January 30, 1967 and now being considered by the Congress, is a matter of highest priority if we are to continue the battle for clean air. It represents our concern for the serious threat to American health caused by polluted air.
Since the transmittal of the President's Message on "Protecting Our National Heritage," several events have occurred which make it necessary to accelerate the attack on one of the major air contaminants requiring more complete control – sulfur oxide.
The recently published "Air Quality Criteria for Sulfur Oxides," the recommendations of the conferees in the New York-New Jersey abatement action, and other findings and conclusions of prominent scientists, lead us to the inescapable conclusion that we must move more rapidly and effectively in reducing the levels of sulfur now present in the atmosphere over many of our metropolitan areas.
At the same time, it has become obvious that present technology is inadequate to deal fully with all aspects of the sulfur problem. While it is true that selection of low-sulfur fuels for use in certain critical areas will offer a temporary solution, it is clear that we must substantially accelerate our research and development activities in three major areas: 1) removal of sulfur from fuels, 2) process removal of sulfur from burning fuels, and 3) control of sulfur gases in the stack. Several promising approaches are available, and more rapid development to full-scale application is necessary.
We have discussed this problem with representatives of the coal and oil industries and with interested Federal agencies. We are all in agreement with the vital importance of an expanded and accelerated research and development program.
I am therefore recommending that the proposed Air Quality Act of 1967 be amended to increase the authorization for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1968, from $84 million to $99 million; the additional $15 million would be made available for research and development in control of sulfur omissions from fuels.
Enclosed is an amendment to the proposed Air Quality Act of 1967 to carry out this recommendation.
We are advised by the Bureau of the Budget that enactment of the Air Quality Act of 1967 with this amendment would be in accord with the program of the President. Sincerely,
Secretary.
AMENDMENT TO DRAFT BILL, THE AIR QUALITY ACT of 1967
In section 7, Strike out "84,000'000" and insert in lieu thereof "99,000,000".
Mr. RANDOLPH. Mr. President, I send to the desk an amendment to amendment No. 154 which I proposed earlier this month as an amendment to S. 780, the Air Quality Act of 1967.
The measure which I now recommend would authorize the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to establish Regional Air Quality Commissions in interstate regions. This measure differs from Section 108 as proposed in S. 780 in three major respects.
First, my proposal would, I believe, provide for more effective local and State participation and thus more cooperation between levels of government.
Second, the proposed amendment would invest the Commission itself with more authority by providing that the Commission rather than the Secretary would make the final determination regarding the air quality standards of the region.
Third, the proposed amendment substitutes for the cease and desist authority of the Commission which would be authorized by S. 780 the same enforcement procedure that is involved in abatement of interstate pollution in other sections of the Air Quality Act. In the absence of compelling reasons for such an extension of the Federal authority – which reason have not yet been advanced by administration witnesses in our hearings – I feel it is the prudent thing to retain a uniform procedure in all interstate pollution abatement actions.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. BAYH in the chair). The amendments – Nos. 174 and 175 – will be received, referred to the Committee on Public Works, and will be printed.