Add rain

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BY EVELYN MEADER

Although support grew Bill HR 4567, to control acid rain in the United States, (final tally about 40% of both republican and democratic members of the house) the bill was stalled before the Oct. 10 recess. Congressman John Dingell of Michigan, called "the top Canada basher in Capital Hill" by the Star's Washington bureau chief, Bob Hepburn, has "for five straight years derailed efforts to pass tough new measures to control smokestack emissions that cause acid rain." Also a heavy industry lobby effectively blocked the bill's chances. Another Congressman, Sherwood Boehlert, R - NY (there are 435) was invited to Speak to the C.C.A.R. Board of Governors on Oct. 14. (My notice of the event arrived Oct. 15!) Congressman Boehlert, one of our closest allies on Capital Hill, was a key co—author of the stall— ed but badly needed piece of legislation.

Closer to home, researchers have discovered that "airborne sulphuric acid levels in Toronto periodically jump to levels three to seven times those reached in New York City."

Partly because of complaints from Norway, Britain has announced a $900 million programme to limit sulphur emissions to reach a 14% reduction by 1997. If Norway can get action to cut their acid rain, Canada had better keep after the U.S. to stop raining acidically on us. Most members of the European Community are committed to a 30% reduction in o sulphur emissions. Britain is not up’to standard here, -£51r even with $900 million committed.

From Sept. 24, 1986 to August 27, 1987 there are 25 events related to L.R.T.A.P. (long range transport of air pollutants), scheduled in Canada, United States, Italy, Switzerland, West Germany, Sweden, Belgium and Norway. (1 have the list.) The movement grows, while vegetation withers, to combat what many consider to be "the number one pollution problem in the world today".

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About dark on Aug- 13 I stopped at the Post Ui'fice. Since I could net return home by Queen Street, I went around by Hater Street. Then I decided to go to Victoria Park to see how the planets were getting one

. Jupiter had not risen; Venus, in the west, was hidden by clOuds; but over the harbour mouth glowed THO bright objects either of which (to me) could have been Mars. Perplexed, I watched until the one on the right was seen to be moving northward-- a plane coming in to the airportl

On July 16, 1986 Mars reached its closest approach to the darth in well over a decade, a mere A8o7 million miles (as Opposed to its maximum distance of 234~6 million miles). (Old Farmer's Almanac, 1986)