Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio) Govt. scheduled to hear from steel industry this week with regard to federal guidelines and deadlines for cleaning up nation's. water. Ind. is negative on standards.

(NYC) Waste material dumped in nation's lakes and streams by steel industry noted. These companies are key target of government cleanup drive to get water back to swimable, fishable condition by 1983. Cleanup to be accomplished in two stages; these noted. Steel industry opposes 1983 stage as being too costly and perhaps unnecessary. [Iron and Steel Institute representative Dr. Stewart G. FLETCHER - says industry doesn't feel cost benefit is there.] Ind. also says premature to impose 1983 deadline on steel making now since some inds. and municipal sewage treatment plants won't meet 1977 guidelines until 1980's. [EPA enforcement division representative Stanley LEGROW - says if all waited for others no progress would be made.] Federal commission headed by Vice President Rockefeller recently told Congress steel and other inds. should have additional 5-10 years to stop polluting. Evtlsts. fear delay in government clean water program. Cite Environmental Protection Agency decision exempting from cleanup 8 steel plants along Mahoning River valley near Youngstown, Ohio. [LEGROW - says Mahoning River valley different from rest of steel industry sites.] Govt. timetable for cleanup under attack from industry as well as in government itself. Congress and courts will have to decide if clean water by 1983 is worth cost.
REPORTER: Eric Engberg