ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 6, 1990                   TAG: 9006060398
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WATER BOARD IGNORES PUBLIC ON DIOXIN LEVEL

WELL, WESTVACO wins again, and the state of Virginia shows its true colors - the color of money! Do Westvaco and the paper-mill industry own Virginia to the extent that political boards will not only endanger the public health knowingly to ensure continued profits, but will also hoist onto the shoulders of its citizens the financial burden and legal battles necessary to allow the industry to continue to pollute? It looks as if that's the case where dioxin is concerned.

In the official summary of public comment received by the State Water Control Board concerning dioxin limits, there were about 26 comments supporting the 1.2 standard from Westvaco spokesmen, representatives from other mills, business associates of mills, and local-government officials where mills are located.

There were about 48 comments opposing the 1.2 standard, mostly from common ordinary Virginians, but also from Environmental Protection Agency officials, Environmental Defense Fund representatives, several scientists, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Why bother having a public hearing if you're not going to "hear" the public?

The water board needs to clean up its act as well as Virginia waters. Lower amounts of dioxin than 1.2 parts per quadrillion can be measured, and they know that. Kim-Stan and the Clifton Forge sewage system put together aren't polluting the Jackson and James rivers as Westvaco does, and they know that too. All the "public servants" of the water board have done is buy time for the paper-mill industry, and ensure at the same time that Virginians have to finance a costly court battle defending a standard the public doesn't want in the first place! STEPHANY G. HALL CLIFTON FORGE 


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