Soil ANKENY, la. Enough is known about the causes and effects of acid precipitation so that the governments of the United States and Canada should act now to avert long-range environmental problems. That is the conclusion expressed in a position statement released today by the Soil Conservation Society of America (SCSA). According to SCSA, acid precipitation, accelerated by mankind, may adversely affect a wide range of soils, vegetation, watersheds, and ecosystems. The international conservation organization acknowledges in the position statement that proof of certain impacts of acid precipitation may be lacking. But the statement contends, “suf ficient scientific evidence exists to justify prompt action” by the PRE-SUMMER FACTORY CLEARANCE SALE! Buildings will be sold on a first come, first served basis! 1-800-942-1234 in New York State society calls for acid rain action governments of both countries. The position statement was written for SCSA by a committee of scientists. It is based on the views expressed by representatives from the scientific community, government, industry, and public interest groups during a con ference on acid precipitation held last October in Burlington, Ver mont. In the statement, SCSA challenges scientists to find more answers to acid precipitation questions and urges government leaders not to ignore the problem. The statement sets forth 10 recommendations for dealing with acid nrecipitation problems: 1. The Umted States and Canada should accelerate efforts to achieve a mutually acceptable international agreement on acid precipitation; obligations agreed If You Can Buy a Better Building for a Better Price, Buy It! - ■ - St==LM ast=r St-=l(V)ast=r ' IV I - No beams, no posts - 100% useable space, no birds Easy erection - No high labor cost 100% maintenance free - No painting or leaks Straighter sides for large equipment CALL TOLL FREE i-soo-43i-i338 to in the Memorandum of Intent dated August 5, 1980, should be honored. 2. Acid precipitation-related problems should be acted on promptly where relationships, effects, and costs are clearly established and where enabling legislation is in place. 3. Clean air legislation in the United States and Canada should be strengthened by (a) adding provisions for long-range tran sport, (b) establishing a workable standard for emission reductions (moving toward 50 percent reduction by the year 1990), and (c) providing for sufficient funds to ensure proper enforcement. 4. Monitoring networks should be expanded to provide more stations and more parameters for monitoring wet and dry deposition. 5. Common methods and procedures for arriving at cost and benefit figures on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border should be developed. 6. Standard procedures for evaluating and using research results should stress reliance on published reports that have been subjected to peer review in accord with standard scientific metodology. 7. Economic incentives should be provided to reduce emissions, including tax write-offs, low interest loans and grants, and write-off of old plants that cannot handle scrubbers. Costs of remedial action should be shared fairly, as is done in mined land reclamation, soil erosion control, and toxic waste management. 8. Conservation programs that reduce the use of fossil fuels and products derived from fossil fuels Distributed by Atlantic Building Systems, Inc. Pennsylania and other States Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 28,1983—C5 should be emphasized. 9. Coal prewashing and modified application of the operating technique known as least emission dispatching should be encouraged as tangible moves toward emission reduction. 10. Priority should be given to additional funding and proper coordination of funding and research, which is essential to an effective international effort to determine the facts, specify the causes and mechanisms of injury, and design remedial actions. USDA closing 3 offices WASHINGTON, D.C. The three regional information offices responsible for providing information services for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricult ural Marketing Service will close June 4. Offices to be closed include the Southern Regional Office at Atlanta, the Western Regional Office at San Francisco and the Northern Regional Office at Chicago. Two other offices, at New York City and Dallas, were closed in 1982. Prior to June 30 of last year, the five of fices had provided in formation for four other agencies. Those agencies were responsible for meat and poultry inspection and care, animal and plant health inspection, agricultural tran sportation, livestock marketing and federal gram inspection. “Agency reorganiza tion and budget reductions are the prime reasons for the closings,” said Donald K. Hayes, acting director of AMS’ In formation Division at Washington, D.C. Some of the functions of the regional offices mil be transferred to the Washington In formation Office, Hayes said. AMS programs in clude marketing agreements and orders, seed law enforcement and other regulatory activities, commodity standardization and grading, market news and marketing research. About 75 percent of the AMS budget comes from user fees paid by industries AMS services, Hayes said.
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