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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 1978)
EPA sets rules for lead levels By CATHERINE SIEGNER Of the Emerald The U.S. Environmental Protec tion Agency has adopted new reaulations for lead concentra tions in the air, but may amend the Clean Air Act if the new stan dards prove “too inflationary.” The new rules require states to reduce lead concentrations to 1.5 micrograms per each cubic meter of air. Current levels are between two and four micrograms on the average. The lead and copper smelting industry will be hardest hit by the new standards and will have to shell out $530 million over the next four years to comply. Smelters only contribute about 5 percent to the air pollution prob lem, however, while automobile exhaust makes up 95 percent of airborne lead. The EPA has adopted separate regulations to reduce the lead content in gasoline. Automobiles are the largest contribution to air pollution in Lane County, since there are no copper or lead smelters here. The new EPA standards will not affect Eugene s air quality. "We have done a little testing (of lead concentrations) and our existing filters keep levels down below the new EPA standards,” says Ralph Johnston, technical services supervisor for the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority. It isn't going to have a great impact on us here in Eugene," Johnston says. “Were in pretty good shape.” Eugene’s problem with air pollu tion comes from the level of sus pended particulates in the air. Par ticulates come from road dust, construction work, local industry, and are mostly byproducts of wood processing. Field burning contributes a share also and has been respon sible for Eugene's failure to com ply with federal air quality stan dards. The states have nine months to submit plans to the EPA for enforc ing the new lead standards. Some smelting companies have indi cated they would rather close down their operations than try to meet the high costs of com pliance. Meanwhile, the EPA has stated it would try to work out a com promise and not risk the economic impact of shutdowns. Taxes may increase according to survey If Ballot Measure 6 is approved by voters in November, it could cost some Lane County homeow ners as much as $50 a year in increased property taxes, accord ing to a survey compiled by Lane County Commissioner Jerry Rust. The survey, compiled over the past several months, gathered in formation on 10 typical homes in 10 areas of Lane County, includ ing Eugene, Springfield and Cot tage Grove. Using figures supplied by the state Legislative Revenue Office and the county Department of As sessment and Taxation, the sur vey compared the effects of both Measure 6 and Measure 11 on property taxes. If approved, Measure 6 would limit state property taxes to 1.5 percent above 1975 assessed value of the property. Under the terms of Measure 11, the state would pay half of the property taxes on owner-occupied homes. Those payments would not be more than $1,500. In most cases, taxes paid under Measure 11 's provision were con siderably less, says Peter Bartel, an aide to Rust. Although proponents of Meas ure 6 claim it would reduce prop erty taxes for the middle-income tax payer, the survey points out that homeowners could be paying up to $400 more a year in taxes in Eugene. Based on an assessed value of $45,300, a Eugene homeowner would pay $580 a year in taxes under Measure 6 and $626 a year under Measure 11. If the home was reappraised or sold before the end of the year, the owner would pay $1,047 in taxes under Measure 6 compared to $626 under Measure 11, the sur vey says. Most homeowners in other county cities would pay more taxes if Measure 6 is approved, says Bill Muir, the survey’s author. “If you owned a home before 1975, Measure 6 would give you greater tax relief,” Muir says. “But after that year, most taxpayers would be favorably affected by Measure 11.” Muir says the survey was com piled on an objective basis, using only information provided by the state revenue and the county tax ation offices to estimate the measures’ effects. J Exams Scheduled Students who think they may want to take Journalism 250, Jour nalistic Writing, in Winter Term but have not passed the Cooperative English Test and the School of Journalism Typing Proficiency Test must take those tests during Fall Term, according to Journalism Dean Galen R. Rarick. The tests, which students are required to pass to be admitted to Journalism 250, will not be given at the start of Winter Term. The Cooperative English Test will be given at 3:30 p m. in 133 Gilbert on Monday, Oct. 16, and Tuesday, Nov. 14. The typing test will be given at 3:30 p.m. in 218 Allen on Tuesday, Oct. 17, and Wednesday Nov. 15. Students should sign up immediately for these tests, in the School of Journalism office, 210 Allen. Someone is having the greatest Toga Party of all time... No one I know. BUT if you happen to be wearing a Toga and a wreath you might want to stop by Friday, October 6th 8 pm to 1 pm Fairgrounds Agriculture Building Live Entertainment by Sapphire, the all-women rock n’ roll sensation .fAiLLUL ANIMAL IlfVtl A comedy from Universal Pictures 21 & over please
