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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". 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     A surplus upland" 
     
    
   
   
    
     Blzcmdmfim d-LdeETT 
     
    
   
   
    
     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)