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Office of Technology Assessment Congressional Board of the 99th Congress TED STEVENS, Alaska, Chairman MORRIS K. UDALL, Arizona, Vice Chairman Senate ORRIN G. HATCH Utah CHARLES McC. MATHIAS, JR. Maryland EDWARD M. KENNEDY Massachusetts ERNEST F. HOLLINGS South Carolina CLAIBORNE PELL Rhode Island WILLIAM J. PERRY, Chairman H&Q Technology Partners DAVIDS. POTTER, Vice Chairman General Motors Corp. (Ret.) EARL BEISTLINE Consultant CHARLES A. BOWSHER General Accounting Office JOHN. H. GIBBONS (Nonvoting) Advisory Council House GEORGE E. BROWN, JR. California JOHN D. DINGELL Michigan CLARENCE E. MILLER Ohio COOPER EVANS Iowa DON SUNDQUIST Tennessee CLAIRE T. DEDRICK California Land Commission RACHEL McCULLOCH University of Wisconsin S. DAVID FREEMAN Lower Colorado River Authority MICHEL T. HALBOUTY Michel T. Halbouty Energy Co. CARL N. HODGES University of Arizona Director JOHN H. GIBBONS CHASE N. PETERSON University of Utah JOSEPH E. ROSS Congressional Research Service LEWIS THOMAS Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
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I. DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT CONTENTS ........................................ Page 1 II. COMMUNICATION WITH CONGRESS. A. Summary of FY '85 Completions, Ongoing Work in FY '86, and New Starts Through September 30, 1986 2 B. Products Delivered During the Quarter 1. Formal Assessment Reports 3 2. Other: Technical Memoranda, Background Papers, Staff Papers or Letter Memoranda, Workshop Proceedings, and Committee Prints 8 3. Testimony ............ 11 C. Other Communication with Congress 1. Briefings, Presentations, Workshops 12 2. Informal Discussions --Topics 13 D. Projects in Process as of 9/30/86 (including formal assessments, responses to TAB, and Committee requests) 1. Descriptions and Requester(s) 17 A. In Press as of 9/30/86 18 B. In Progress as of 9/30/86 21 E. New Assessments Approved During the Quarter 51 III. PUBLICATION BRIEFS OF FORMAL ASSESSMENTS DELIVERED IV. SELECTED NEWS CLIPS ON OTA PUBLICATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
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-1 -DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT I. II. III. The year has been fast paced for OTA, reflecting the culmination of work undertaken at the behest of about 75 committees and subcommittees of the 99th Congress. Over the course of the year we delivered 44 major documents nearly one per week-dealing with a highly diverse set of technical issues. Many of these studies have been received as the most definitive and authoritative analyses available. That characterization, however gratifying, must remain a necessary but not sufficient condition for OTA, because our work must also be relevant to the specific analytical needs of Congress and timely in terms of the pace of Congress. In FY 1986, we worked harder than ever before on improving our relevance and timeliness to the pulse of Congress, while at the same time paying substantial attention to understanding the developments at the edge of technology and scientific research, so that we can keep sight of emerging issues and opportunities. This is the last quarter in which Senator Mathias and Congressman Evans will serve on OTA's Board since they are retiring from Congress. Both gentlemen have been extremely helpful in their governance of the Agency and we wish them well. While they will no longer be burdened with Quarterly reports, we hope they will continue to use the results of OTA assessments! During the fourth quarter, OTA was honored by the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany, in being asked to deliver the principal address before a special meeting held at the Reichstag in Berlin. The Bundestag is considering the establishment of a commission which could serve their needs for non-partisan technical analysis in a manner similar to OTA's service to Congress. The setting of the Reichstag for the meeting was highly symbolic, in that the harsh memory of the 3rd Reich is recalled from the front facade of the building; the new bright interior reflects the new Germany; and the glass walled rear of the structure immediately faces the Wall and the somber gray of East Berlin. In this context the discussion of the value and utility of open inquiry and the public nature of OTA's process of analysis as input to political debate was particularly poignant.
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II. -2 -COMMUNICATION WITH CONGRESS A. Summary of FY '85 Completions, Ongoing Work in September 302 1986 FY. '85 Products Released Total Formal Assessments 17 Other Special Reports 2 Report Supplements 2 Technical Memoranda 5 Background Papers, Case Studies, or Workshop Proceedings 11 Testimony 24 Staff Memos or Letter Memoranda 20 Administrative Documents 7 New Projects Approved by TAB Assessments 6 Other (Scope Changes; Special Responses Over 30K) 5 Projec;s in Process as of September 1. In Press Assessments Other (TM's, Background Papers, etc.) 3. In Progress Assessments Other 30, 3 2 31 20 .9.!. 4 1 0 1 0 7 11 0 4 0 1986 FY '86, and New Starts Through FY '86 Q2 Q3 .9i 5 4 5 2 0 5 0 0 0 2 1 1 3 3 1 8 8 4 5 12 5 2 2 0 4 3 10 1 1 0
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-3 -II. COMMUNICATION WITH CONGRESS B. Products Released During the Quarter 1. Formal Assessment Reports TECHNOLOGIES FOR PREHISTORIC AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION --In recognition of the importance of preserving our prehistoric and historic heritage, Congress over the last eighty years has enacted a variety of laws to protect and preserve U.S. cultural resources. This assessment provides an overview of technologies for cultural resource management. It: 1) identifies and discusses the most effective current technologies for prehistoric and historic preservation; 2) evaluates the most promising new technologies that could be applied to the problem; and 3) suggests areas for further research and development. The assessment also discusses the costs of the technologies and examine any non-technical constraints on their use. The assessment focuses on technologies for: 1) locating, identifying, surveying, and evaluating historic structures and sites and their contents, including archaeological sites; 2) preserving buildings, structures, and landscapes; and 3) measuring the effect of changes in the environment on historic structures, artifacts, sites, and landscapes. It does not discuss the preservation of paintings, books, and other artifacts, except insofar as technologies used in their preservation are applicable to structures and sites. To the extent pertinent to historic preservation, the study also considers technologies for storing, sharing, and retrieving historic preservation information. Request or Affirmation of Interest: House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs Hon. Morris K. Udall, Chairman Hon. Don Young, Ranking Minority Member Hon. John F. Seiberling, Chairman, Subcommittee on Public Lands Hon. Ron Marlenee, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Public Lands Project Director: Ray Williamson, 6-2209 TECHNOLOGIES FOR DETECTING HERITABLE MUTATIONS --Mutations are permanent changes in the genetic information contained in chromosomes and DNA of cells. When they occur in germ cells --egg or sperm cells --they are passed on to succeeding generations. Always a concern in public health, mutations are becoming a policy issue because of claims that they have been caused by exposures to radiation and chemicals. Little is known about the frequency of human mutations, and evidence is insufficient to decide whether or not external factors contribute in any significant way to the frequency despite the reasonable contention that they probably do.
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-4 -Technologic breakthroughs may make it possible to determine mutation rates directly. The new methods require drawing blood .and analyzing proteins or DNA or a particular gene for genetic changes. The assessment: 1) details the status and limits of knowledge about human mutations and mutation frequencies; 2) reviews the current methods used to study human mutations; 3) describes methods now under development and being considered; 4) estimates when each of the new methods might be available for studying human populations and the size of the experiments that would be necessary to produce useful results; and 5) develops policy options to spur the research and application of appropriate methods. Request or ~ffirJl!ation of Interest: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs Hon. Alan K. Simpson, then Chairman Hon. Alan Cranston, Ranking Minority Member House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John D. Dingell, Chairman Project Director: Julie Ostrowsky, 6-2070 SERIOUS REDUCTION OF HAZARDOUS WAS~--The generation of hazardous waste by industry poses a range of environmental risks and increasingly high costs. About one metric ton of hazardous waste is being generated annually for every person in the nation. Only within the past decade has it become clear that the land disposal of hazardous waste is fraught with risks, particularly to groundwater. Waste management is undergoing major changes as a result of government regulatory programs that are making land disposal much more expensive and more restricted. But, to a large extent, there are major uncertainties about how the regulatory program will be implemented and enforced. Liabilities associated with the hazardous waste disposed of in the past are also influencing industry decisions. Cleaning up uncontrolled toxic waste sites by the Superfund program, industry, and the states may require hundreds of billions of dollars over many decades. Current costs to industry to manage its newly generated hazardous waste is probably about $6 billion annually. There is general agreement that reducing the generation of hazardous waste is necessary both from the environmental and the economic perspective. However, the role of government and particularly government regulations to induce industry toward waste reduction is not clear. Government regulation of waste management is shifting away from and "end of the pipe" approach to examining industrial processes and company operations; this shift is of major concern to industry. Thus it is becoming more important to learn how to use non-regulatory approaches (e.g., technical assistance, information transfer, and R&D support) to complement regulatory ones.
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-5 -This assessment examines and reviews the technical options to substantially reduce the amount and hazardous nature of industrial hazardous wastes, only some of which may be regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and state programs. It also identifies and analyzes current efforts in waste reduction and examines the full range of technical, economic, and institutional impediments facing industry in these efforts. The assessment analyzes Federal and state policies and programs which affect waste reduction efforts; and it identifies and evaluates both regulatory and non-regulatory options that Congress can consider for enhancing the extent and pace of waste reduction efforts while avoiding undesirable impacts-on employment, profitability, and the international competitiveness of industry. One option that should be considered is the possibility that no further Congressional action may be needed in the near term. Reque~t or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources Hon. Orrin G. Hatch, Chairman Hon. Edward M. Kennedy, Ranking Minority Member House Committee on Small Business Hon. Charles W. Stenholm, Chairman Hon. William S. Broomfield, Ranking Minority Member Hon. Nicholas Mavroules, Chairman, Subcommittee on General Oversight and the Economy Hon. Silvio O. Conte, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on General Oversight and the Economy Hon. Ike Skelton, Chairman, Subcommittee on Export Opportunities and Special Small Business Problems House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John D. Dingell, Chairman Hon. James T. Broyhill, Ranking Minority Member Hon. James J. Florio, Chairman, Subcommittee on Commerce, Transportation, and Tourism Hon. Norman F. Lent, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Commerce, Transportation, and Tourism House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman Project Director: Joel Hirschhorn, 6-2089 OCEAN INCINERATION: ITS ROLE IN MANAGING HAZARDOUS WASTE --In 1984, the House Committees on Merchant Marine and Fisheries and on Public Works and Transportation requested OTA to undertake a broad study of wastes in marine environments, including an examination of ocean incineration. Recently the original requesting committees and the House Committee on Science and Technology asked OTA to prepare a full report on ocean incineration. Ocean incineration -the practice of burning hazardous wastes in incinerators mounted on ocean-going vessels -has caused much controversy and debate over the past few years. By burning hazardous wastes far from land, are
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-6 -we reducing risks to human health or simply shipping our problems out to sea? In response to the public concerns, the United States has temporarily halted the use of ocean incinceration while the capabilities and limitations of ocean incineration can be studied. This study of ocean incineration considers the adequacy of regulations; risks to human health and the marine environment; existing and emerging alternatives; the capabilities and limitations of ocean incineration in managing hazardous wastes; and how its use might affect efforts to develop superior waste treatment and reduction practices. Requesters: House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries Hon. Walter B. Jones, Chairman Hon. Edwin B. Forsythe, then Ranking Minority Member Hon. Mario Biaggi, Chairman, Subcommittee on Merchant Marine Hon. Norman D'Amours, then chairman, Subcommittee on Oceanography House Committee on Public Works and Transportation Hon. James J. Howard, Chairman Hon. Gene Snyder, Ranking Minority Member Hon. Robert A. Roe, Chairman, Su;bcommittee on Water Resources Hon. Arlan Stangeland, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Water Resources Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Hon. Bob Packwood, then Chairman Hon. Ernest Hollings, Ranking Minority Member House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman Project Director: Richard Denison, 6-2149 TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS --Ensuring public safety during transportation of hazardous materials and 1, stes has been an increasing concern for some time. Undocumented estimates of the quantity of hazardous commodities shipped annually range to 4 billion tons. Given the estimates of the large quantities shipped, the safety record is good. However, great damage does occasionally occur. A primary government interest is ensuring public and environmental safety while facilitating movement of these commodities vital to the Nation's economy. This assessment is directed toward three fundamental issues: '1) the adequacy of containers used in the transportation of hazardous materials; 2) the adequacy of the information systems used to track commodity transport and keep safety records for planning purposes and regulation; and 3) the appropriate levels of training for personnel responsible for the transportation of hazardous materials emergency response.
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-7 -Interim Deliverable: State and Local Activities in Transportation of Hazardous Materials (Special Report; published 3/86) Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Hon. Bob Packwood, then Chairman Hon. Ernest F. Hollings, Ranking Minority Member House Committee on Government Operations Hon. Cardiss Collins, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Government Activities and Transportation House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. James J. Florio, Chairman, Subcommittee on Commerce, Transportation, and Tourism House Committee on Public Works and Transportation Hon. James J. Howard, Chairman Project Director: Edith Page, 6-2214
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-8 -II. B. 2. Other: Technical Memoranda, Background Papers, Workshop Proceedings, Committee Prints, and Administrative Reports TECHNOLOGIES FOR NATO'S FOLLOW-ON FORCES ATTACK CONCEPT (Special Report) -An interim deliverable from OTA's ongoing assessment of Alternatives For Improving NATO's_Defense RespoI!_se, this study reviews both the operational and technical developments of NATO's Follow-On Forces Attack concept. The study also suggests some guidelines to follow in making procurement decisions. Project Director: Alan Shaw, 6-2018 CONTINUING THE COMMITMENT: AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE SAHEL (Special Report) -An interim deliverable from OTA's ongoing assessment of Low Resource Agriculuture in Developing Countries, this study examines the record of assistance to the nations of Sahel in West Africa, explores the lessons learned in the past decade of efforts, and suggests policy implicatiosn for more effective U.S. assistance there and elswhere in Africa. Project Director: Phyllis Windle, 6-2265 TRADE IN SERVICES: EXPORTS AND FOREIGN REVENUES (Special Report) -Part of OTA's ongoing assessment International Comeetition in the Servi~~ Industries, this report gives an overview of U.S. international trade in services and discusses policy options for improving Federal government data on service trade -data now subject to major sources of error. Project Director: John Alic, 6-2012 SPACE STATIONS AND THE LAW: SELECTED LEGAL ISSUES (background paper) Prepared at the request of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, this study examines the issue of which country has the right to make and enforce rules of law among space station partners. If all p,'' ts of a space station were under U.S. jurisdiction, U.S. law could be more easily applied arid enforced. However, such a situtatiori may be politically unacceptable to other space station partners --European Space Agency, Canada and Japan. l'he most important issue to be resolved in ongoing negotiations among the space station partners is which country has the right: to make and enforce rules of laws regulating commerce, property, and personal interactions. Project Director: Richard DalBello, 6-2059 PLANT CLOSING: ADVANCE NOTICE AND RAPID RESPONSE (Special Report) -a follow-up to OTA's February 1986 assessment, Technology and Structural Unemployment: Reemploying Displaced Adults, this report is drawn from a workshop and research by OTA and GAO. The benefits and costs of advance notice for plant closings and permanent layoffs
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-9 -are assessed, and the ability of public agencies to provide worker adjustment services rapidly and effectively when employers do give notice is examined. Project Director: Julie Gorte, 6-2205 FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCED MATERIALS (technical memorandum) -An interim deliverable from OTA's ongoing assessment of High Technoloa Ceramics and Polymer Composites, this study analyzes and examines the military and commercial opportunities presented by new structural materials (i.e. ceramics, polymers, metals or composites) and outlines the Federal research and development associated with such products. Requester: House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Hon. John C. Danforth, Chairman Project Director: Greg Eyring, 6-2151 TECHNOLOGY, TRADE, AND THE U.S. RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY (Special Report) -An interim deliverable from OTA's ongoing assessment Technology and the American Economic Transition,this study examines the new technologies and expansion of international trade that have created a new framework for America's residential ~onstruction industry. The quality and cost of the factory built home, and the number of jobs generated by the industry will be strongly influenced by whether the U.S. takes full advantage of developing technology. Requester: House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Hon. Fernand J. St Germain, Chairman Project Director: Henry Kelly, 6-3960
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-10 -OTA Staff Papers or Letter Memoranda Date 07/10/86 08/05/86 08/25/86 08/28/86 09/05/86 Subject The use of biomedical tests in paternity determination Responses to questions about R.R. 4567 ("Acid Deposition Control Act of 1986") Review of questions deleted from a NIOSH study of video display terminal users Review of the Draft Army report on the cleanup of Rocky Mountain Arsenal Review of the progress of the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study Related OTA Work Background work in the Biological Applications Program. Published study in the Ocean and Environment Program -July 29, 1986, staff paper analyzing H.R. 4567 Background work in the Health Program Background work in the Industry, Technology and Employment Program Ongoing work in the Health Program -Monitoring of Mandated Vietnam Veteran Studies
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-11 -II. B. 3. Testimony Date 07/16/86 08/26/86 09/16/86 09/17/86 Committee/Chairman House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Consumer Protection, and Finance (Hon. Tim Wirth); Subcommittee on Commerce, Transportation, and Tourism (Hon. James Florio); House Committee on Government Operations, Subcommittee on Government Activities and Transportation (Hon. Cardiss Collins) Joint Economic Committee (Hon. David Obey) Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management (Hon. William Cohen) House Commitee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Transportation, Aviation and Materials (Hon. George Brown) Subject/Person Testifying Transportation of Hazardous Materials H.R. 4612 (Edith Page) Issues in U.S. grain quality (Michael J. Phillips) Electronic record systems and individual privacy (Priscilla Regan) National Critical Materials Act of 1984, and release of OTA Technical Memorandum on New Structural Materials Technologies (Greg Eyring)
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-12 -II. C. Other Communication with Congress 1. Form.al Briefings, Presentations, Workshops (With Committee Staffs) COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE Commerce, Science, and Transportation o Ocean incineration report Environment and-Public Works o Ocean incineration report Labor and Human Resources Subcommittee on Aging o Care of those with Alzheimer's disease and dementia COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health and the Environment o Quality of health care Interior and Public Affairs Subcommittee on Public Lands o Technologies for prehistoric and historic preservation Merchant Marine and Fisheries o Ocean incineration report Public Works and Transportation o Ocean incineration report Post Office and Civil Service Subcommittee on Human Resources o Accuracy and reliability of urine drug tests OTHER CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES Congressional Clearinghouse on the Future o Alzheimer's disease
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13 II. C. 2. Informal Discussions -Topics In addition to briefings and presentations, informal discussions take place continually, as requested by Members and staff. OTA staff members give updates on ongoing work and provide information that Members and Committees may need relative to legislation pending or under consideration or for hearings and related testimony. Topic Economic transition Food, trade and housing Housing policy Recreation and leisure Textiles Rapid response, plant closing, and advance notice Serious reduction of hazardous wastes Superfund Technology and trade Trade in Services Ceramic materials Clean coal technologies Coal leasing Composite materials Cogeneration Copper markets, technologies for copper mining and surface mining and reclamation Electric utilities Energy research and development Historic preservation/preservation technologies Infrastructure investments Low oil prices impacts National critical materials New electric power technologies Oil supply and demand Oil and gas resource estimation Roads and bridges Wheeling of electric power Chernobyl, nuclear power China and technology transfer Export controls/Peoples Republic of China Japanese technology Joint STARS radar NATO defense SDI Seismic verification Space law, remote sensing Space station, space transportation U.S. and secret military technology
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Alternative cancer therapies Alzheimer's disease Animal welfare Bioethics Biotechnology -14 -Biotechnology -Legislation on deliberate release Chemical and biological warfare Dementia Assessment fo person with dementia; state programs for persons with dementia; long term care of persons with dementia Diagnosis of dementia Funding research at NIH Genetics Health care financing Health service and research Hearing impairment and the elderly International competition in biotechnology Life sustaining technologies and the elderly Long-term care financing New reproductive technologies Nursing home regulations Adequacy of U.S. food and fiber production for the year 2000 Assistance in maintaining biological diversity in LDC Continuing the commitment: agricultural development in the Sahel Development assistance Harmful pesticides in plants Improvement in environmental/natural resource management of international development banks' projects Integrated revewable resource management for U.S. insular areas Agent Orange AIDS AIDS costs Atomic veterans Biomedical Ethics Advisory Committee Cost Effectiveness of Medical Technology for Preventing Illness and Disease in the Medicare Population Diagnostic tsting for health insurance Drug testing Drug labeling in developing countries Epidemiology and reuse of dialyzers Future costs of treating AIDS Geographic variations in medical practice Health services research and financing issue Indian health services Mammography Mutations Native Hawaiian health NIOSH VDT study Nontraditional treatments for cancer and AIDS Outpatient reimbursement under Medicare Participation of OB/GYNs in Medicare Physician payment
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15 -Physician Payment Review Commission Post-Vietnam mortality Technology dependent children Toxic Shock Syndrome VDT's Women veterans Artificial intelligence, research and development Computer crime Communications policy Constitution proposal Mass media/telecommunications Social Security Administration Telecommunications Telecommuications Networking within science community Acid rain control costs Airport security Dredged materials Drug interdiction Low-level radioactive waste Ocean incineration Plastic guns Urban ozone Adult literacy Education and employment of scientists and engineers Federal bilingual education programs for limited English proficient students Impact of computers on Chapter 1 programs in elementary and secondary schools National guidelines for a truck drivers license Railroad cars and hazardous materials Science policy Shipments of saccharin Transportation of hazardous materials
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17 -DESCRIPTIONS AND REQUESTERS FOR CURRENT OTA ASSESSMENTS AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 1986
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18 -II. D. Descriptions and Requesters of Projects A. IN PRESS AS OF 9/30/86 INTEGRATED RENEWABLE RESOURCES MANAGEMENT FOR U.S. INSULAR AREAS --U.S. insular areas in the Caribbean (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and the Pacific (Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) have experienced considerable historical land resource degradation. Fres.hwater supplies may be highly variable and tropical soils and waters can be relatively infertile, requiring special management consideration. Today they rely heavily on food imports, and many local food production technologies and incentives have been lost. The U.S., Hawaii, and territorial governments have voiced commitments to greater food production diversity and selfsufficiency. Activities in Hawaii provide models of these developments. The small size and limited resources of these insular areas require that land planning consider the capability of sites to sustain agriculture and aquaculture; the probable impacts of development on other resources; and alternatives to traditional management schemes that may be more appropriate to the economies and ecologies of these areas. Technologies designed for temperate, continental agriculture and aquaculture --frequently dependent on relatively low cost energy supplies, large capital outlays, and well-developed markets --typically are not suitable for tropical insular areas. Reaping sustained benefits from food production developments requires technologies appropriate to resource characteristics and incentive schemes appropriate to cultural settings that encourage integrated development and management of island resources. In order to assess technologies for insular renewable resource management and development, OTA will: 1) review data on freshwater demands, supplies and uses and assess water supply enhancement and conservation technologies; 2) assess agricultural technologies given the availability and quality of water and land supplies; 3) assess aquaculture technologies alone and in combination with agricultural technologies; and 4) assess maricultural technologies for their suitability in the insular settings; 5) identify integrated land capability analysis technologies appropriate to island resource development; and 6) assess certain opportunities in. case studies that include implementat:i.on action plans. Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Hon. James A. McClure, Chairman Hon. Spark Matsunaga House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs Hon. Morris K. Udall, Chairman Hon. Antonio B. Won Pat, then Chairman, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs Project Director: Alison Hess, 6-2198 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: August 1986
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19 LIFE-SUSTAINING TECHNOLOGIES AND THE ELDERLY --Recent technological advances in the treatment of chronic disease and acute illness, combined with greater access to such care, make it possible to keep persons alive who might never have survived in the past. One result is that more older persons than ever before are surviving to the oldest ages (75 and over). These advances, however, are accompanied by complex legal, ethical, and financial issues concerning the definition of death, appropriate use of life-sustaining technologies, quality of life, patients' rights, surrogate decisionmaking, and the allocation of federal resources. Data indicate that up to 30 percent of all Medicare reimbursements (more than $57 billion in1983) are made for care of older Americans in their last year of life; half of all nursing home costs are paid by federal Medicaid dollars. This assessment is examining these technological advances and their implications for the elderly. It will: 1) provide a classification of life-sustaining technologies and describe their development, including prospects for the future; 2) evaluate different technologies that are now applied in different situations and settings (e.g., end-stage renal dialysis, resuscitation, ventilation, alimentation, etc.); 3) describe the elderly subpopulations that are affected; 4) review ethical problems in different settings and situations (hospital, nursing home, resid~nce); 5) evaluate the ethical issues related to patients' rights; 6) present data on attitudes toward life-sustaining technologies and patients' rights (professional associations, groups representing the elderly, surveys of the public and health care providers, etc.); 7) review methods for determining mental competence and surrogate.decisionmaking for the demented elderly; 8) evaluate federal and State laws regarding patients' rights, surrogate decisionmaking, living wills, etc.; and 9) review data and issues concerning federal and other public costs related to current and potential applications of life-sustaining technologies. Interim Deliverable: Surrogate Decisionmaking (Background Paper) (shared effort with Disorders Causing Dementia) Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Special Committee on Aging Hon. John Heinz, Chairman House Select Committee on Aging Hon. Edward R. Roybal, Chairman Project Director: Claire Maklan, 6-2093 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: July 1986
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-20 -DISORDERS CAUSING DEMENTIA --The economic, social, and health problems associated with disorders that cause deterioration of mental function (dementia) are growing rapidly. Current estimates of the cost of providing long-term care nationwide are approximately $30 billion annually for nursing homes and another $14 billion for other forms (1983); with $12 billion derived from Federal sources (Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration, etc.). Disorders leading to dementia are estimated to account for over half of these costs. These figures, and the other costs associated with dementia (emotional distress among friends and family, costs of acute medical care, including diagnosis, and income lost due to the disease) threaten to rise rapidly as the proportion of very old people (over 80) in the population continues to increase much faster than other age groups. This assessment is considering Federal policy relating to two major Federal functions: 1) support of research intended to provide treatment or means of prevention, and 2) financing and monitoring of long-term care for those who have dementia. The assessment is surveying the status of basic biomedical research and health services research, and will evaluate the methods for providing longterm care of those who develop dementia. The assessment of longterm care will include discussion of various options: home care, day care, respite care, adoptive care, and domiciliary care, in addition to nursing home care. Particular attention will be focu.sed on evaluating methods for optimizing care of demented patients in the various settings (including Federal and private responsibilities for financing and assuring quality care.) Interim Deliverable: Surrogate Decisionmaking --(Background Paper) (shared effort with Life Sustaining Technologies and the Elderly) Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources Hon. Orrin G. Hatch, Chairman Senate Special Committee on Aging Hon. John Heinz, Chairman Hon. Larry Pressler Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs Hon. Alan K. Simpson, then Chairman Senate Committee on Finance Hon. Bob Dole, then Chairman Hon. Bill Bradley House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John D. Dingell, Chairman House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman Hon. Larry Winn, Jr., then Ranking Minority Member Hon. Albert Gore, Jr., then Member Hon. Joe Skeen House Select Committee on Aging Hon. Edward R. Roybal, Chairman Senator Howard Metzenbaum Project Director: Robert Cook-Deegan, 6-2034 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: July 1986
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-21 -B. IN PROGRESS AS OF 9/30/86 Energy, Materials, and International Security Division EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON THE AMERICAN ECONOMIC TRANSITION --New technologies, growing international competition in markets once dominated by U~S. suppliers, and changes in the cost and availability of oil and other critical resources may lead to a fundamental change in the structure of the U.S. economy. These changes could also change the utility of major classes of public policy. The analysis conducted for this project will describe ways the national economy may change during the next two decades, explore the ways these changes may alter prospects for employment and profitable investment in different major classes of economic activities, describe how the changes may alter critical aspects of the quality of life in America, and examine the implications of these changes for national policy. The analysis is constructed around seven tightly integrated projects. Six of these are designed to explore plausible ways the economy may move to meet basic market requirements during the next two decades and the nature of the employment and investment opportunities created. The areas covered include: the health industries, agriculture and food processing, construction, transportation and communication, education, and "leisure-time" industries. At least two possibilities are being considered in each case: (1) an extrapolation of current trends, and (2) an analysis of ways the market could be met assuming that new technologies were introduced with no market "imperfections" except those explicitly introduced where markets clearly are inadequate (e.g., regulations designed to protect the environment). This analysis of "potentials" is not a forecast in the conventional sense but is desigrted to illuminate the range of possible impacts of new technologies. When the "potential" analysis differs significantly from projections based on trends, the work will provide a convenient basis for determining whether or not the divergence results from poorly designed federal programs. A separate project is examining basic manufacturing and service industries not covered elsewhere. Each of these projects will result in a separate publication and an evaluation of specific policy problems identified in the sectors covered. The components will be combined systematically using a simple accounting procedure developed for the project. Where relevant, the results will be compared with major macroeconomic models developed elsewhere. The integrated analysis will be used to examine major national policy issues affecting capital formation, employment, international competition, investments in infrastructure, research and development priorities, and other areas of major national interest.
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-22 -Interim Deliverables: International Competitiveness of U.S. Agriculture (Technical Memorandum) --(Requester: Hon. Roger Jepsen, then Chairman, Joint Economic Committee) (Published October 1986) New Construction Technologies (Special Report) (Published September 1986) Leisure Industries (Technical Memorandum) --Contact Henry Kelly, 6-3960. Textiles and Apparel (Special Report) --Contact Henry Kelly, 6-3960 Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Hon. Bob Packwood, then Chairman Hon. Ernest Hollings, Ranking Minority Member Hon. Larry Pressler, Chairman, Subcommittee on Business, Trade, and Tourism Senate Committee on the Budget Hon. Pete V. Domenici, Chairman Hon. Lawton Chiles, Ranking Minority Member House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John D. Dingell, Chairman House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service Hon. William D. Ford, Chairman House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman House Committee on Education and Labor Hon. Carl D. Perkins (deceased), then Chairman House Committee on the Judiciary Hon. Peter W. Rodino, Chairman House Committee on Public Works and Transportation Hon. James J. Howard, Chairman House Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs Hon. Fernand J. St Germain, Chairman Hon. Chalmers P. Wylie, Ranking Minority Member Project Director: Henry Kelly, 6-3960 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: November 1986 HIGH TECHNOLOGY STRUCTURAL CERAMICS AND POLYMER COMPOSITES Development and use of advanced materials such as high performance ceramics and polymer composites promise dramatic changes in many aspects of our economy. The unique properties and design features of these materials provide the opportunity for greatly increased performance in many products in use today, enhanced manufacturing productivity, and new types of products. Composites used as structural members in aircraft and ceramics in machine tool bits already have demonstrated some of these large performance gains. The promise of these materials has caused other nations to embark on major development programs. This nation's ability to maintain long term economic growth and remain competitive will depend to a large extent on how well we take advantage of the opportunities presented by these materials. To do so, however, requires that many technical problems and non-technical barriers be overcome.
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23 This assessment will better define the many opportunities for high technology ceramics and polymer composites over the next 15 to 25 years. It will determine the principal technical and related problems that need to be overcome if timely expansion of' the commercial use of these materials is to take place. Finally, the study will analyze the broad implications of these high technology materials to future U.S. economic growth and competitiveness. Interim Deliverable: Future Opportunities for Advanced Materials (Technical Memorandum) (Published September 1986) Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Hon. John C. Danforth, Chairman Hon. Ernest F. Hollings, Ranking Minority Member Hon. Slade Gorton, Chairman, Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman Hon, Manuel Lujan, Ranking Minority Member Hon. Dan Glickman, Chairman, ~nd Hon. Tom Lewis, Ranking Minority Member; Subcommittee on Transportation, Aviation, and Materials Project Director: Greg Eyring, 6-2151 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: June 1987 MAGNETIC FUSION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Thermonuclear fusion, the process powering stars and hydrogen bombs, offers the prospect of providing a source of energy having an effectively unlimited fuel supply. Fusion power might turn out to be both safer and more environmentally acceptable than nuclear fission. Great progress in harnessing fusion has been made to date, but a great deal of additional work is required. The Magnetic Fusion Energy Engineering Act of 1980 envisaged, but did not appropriate, 25% real increases in fusionresearch funding for each of the following two years, and a doubling of the overall effort within seven years. By FY 1986, however, the magnetic fusion budget had fallen, in real terms, to two-thirds of the peak value it reached in FY 1977. Shrinking funding profiles are forcing a major reanalysis of the Department of Energy's magnetic fusion research program. OTA will examine the choices which need be made concerning the fusion program, including: 1) how resources might be re-allocated between fusion and other national;programs intended to meet some of the same goals (long-term energy supply, stimulation of technology, international scientific prestige, etc.); and 2) how the fusion program could be structured, including the role of international cooperation, once the program's goals and priority have been decided.
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-24 -Request or Affirmation of Interest: House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman Hon. Manuel Lujan, Jr., Ranking Minority Member Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Hon. James A. McClure, Chairman Hon. J. Bennet Johnston, Ranking Minority Member Hon. Pete V. Domenici Hon. Wendell H. Ford Project Director: Gerald Epstein, 6-2184 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: March 1987 COMPETITIVENESS OF THE DOMESTIC COPPER INDUSTRY --Copper historically has been an important part of the domestic mineral indsutry and has contributed significantly to the economy, particularly in the Western United States. In recent years, however, a number of factors have combined to reduce the demand for domestic copper in favor of foreign sources of supply. The domestic costs of copper mining and the balance of payments position depends heavily on income from foreign sales of intangibles to counterbalance, if only in part, merchandise deficits. Exports of technology-intensive manufactures --commercial aircraft, power generating equipment, electronic systems --are frequently tied to training and maintenance contracts. New developments in many of the service industries stem directly from technical advances. Increasingly, the Western European nations and Japan offer strong competition in international markets for technologically-based services. The analytical approach in this assessment will be based on that developed in past OTA studies of competitiveness: three to five service industries will be selected for detailed analysis based on business strategies as affected by technological developments, industrial structure, and government policies. Request or Affirmation of Interest: Technology Assessment Board Hon. Morris K. Udall, Vice Chairman Hon. Orrin G. Hatch Congressional Copper Caucus Hon. Barry M. Goldwater, U.S. Senate Hon. Jim Kolbe, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Max Baucus, U.S. Senate Hon. Carl Levin, U.S. Senate Hon. Chic Hecht, U.S. Senate Hon. Barbara F. Vucanovich, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Manuel Lujan, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives Hon. John McCain, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Howard C. Nielson, U.S. House of Representatives Project Director: Jenifer Robison, 6-2134 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: September 1987
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-25 -TECHNOLOGICAL RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE U.S. ENERGY SUPPLY AND DEMAND Congress is now being presented with a series of energy demand and supply forecasts that are radically different from those of just a few years ago. A common theme includesgreatly moderated oil prices into the early 1990's followed by a possible return to OPEC dominance of oil markets, rising oil prices, and greatly expanded U.S. oil imports by the late 1990's. This study will evaluate current views of the U.S. future energy outlook, identify key technical uncertainties and risks that affect the validity of these views, and identify and evaluate energy policy options for dealing with these uncertainties and risks. In the first phase of the study, OTA will evaluate the implications for U.S. energy policy of volatile oilprices, emphasizing the effects of low prices on domestic oil production, e.g., plugging of stripper wells and loss of production from tertiary and some secondary recovery operations in the shorter term, loss of production and reserves due to lower drilling rates, reduced R&D expenditures, and so forth in the longer term. In the second phase aimed at overall U.S. energy supply and demand, OTA will first examine historic changes in U.S. energy supply and demand and the ability of previous forecasts to anticipate these changes. Next, the study will describe current forecasts for the next 15-25 years and identify their underlying assumptions. The study will then identify and evaluate the primary sources of technical uncertainties in the forecasts. The sources of technical uncertainty include: economic growth rates and patterns; new energy supply, conservation, and end use technologies; geologic uncertainties about available o~l and gas resources; consumer reactions to lower energy prices, and other apsects of public and industry behavior; and methodological problems in forecasting. (The final report will discuss -but not primarily analyze -non-technical sources of uncertainty, primarily political uncertainty.) Finally, the study will identify and evaluate policy options that would add flexibility to the energy system, i.e., to increase the system's ability to adapt to the range of futures consistent with these uncertainties. Request or Affirmation of Interest: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John Dingell, Chairman Hon. Phillip R. Sharp, Chairman, Subcommittee on Fossil and Synthetic Fuels House Committee on Government Operations Hon. Jack Brooks, Chairman Project Director: Steve Plotkin, 226-2110 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: November 1987
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-26 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION IN SERVICE INDUSTRIES --The services have become mainstays of the U.S. economy, both in terms of domestic employment and foreign sales. Many are driven by new technologies. The U.S. balance of payments position depends heavily on income from foreign sales of intangibles to counterbalance, if only in part, merchandise deficits. Exports of technology-intensive manufactures --commercial aircraft, power generating equipment, electronic systems --are frequently tied to training and maintenance contracts. New developments in many of the service industries stem directly from technical advances. Increasingly, the Western European nations and Japan offer strong competition in international markets for technologically-based services. The analytical approach in this assessment will be based on that developed in past OTA studies of competitiveness: three to five service industries will be selected for detailed analysis based on business strategies as affected by technological developments, industrial structure, and government policies. Interim Deliverable: Trade in Services: Exports and Foreign Revenues (Special Report) (Published September 1986) Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Hon. Charles Percy, then Chairman Hon. Charles McC. Mathias, Jr., Chairman, Subcommittee on International Economic Policy Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs Hon. William V. Roth, Jr., Chairman House Committee on Small Business Hon. Parren Mitchell, Chairman Hon. Berkley Bedell, Chairman, Subcommittee on General Oversight and the Economy House Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs Hon. John J. LaFalce, Chairman, Subcommittee on Economic Stabilization Project Director: John Alic, 6-2012 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: Dec. 1986 TECHNOLOGIES TO RESTORE U.S. MARKET SHARE --The international diffusion of technology has meant that competition from a growing number of countries, in a widening array of products, has cut into the market share of U.S. manufacturers. One result is an unprecedentedly large trade deficit, expected to top $160 billion in 1986. Many factors account for the edge that foreign manufacturers have won in a growing number of products. The rapid spread of technology--in many cases, technology developed in America--is partly a result of 1) American overseas investments and cooperative agreements, 2) the emphasis placed on the development of commercial technologies by
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.,_;, 27 -foreign governments and businesses, and 3) the reluctance of some U.S. manufacturers to invest in new product development and commercialization. Other factors contribute to the successful penetration of U.S. markets. They include foreign industrial policies, differences in capital costs and availability, and the emphasis foreign manufacturers place on agressive marketing and distribution, domestic manufacturing, long-term gains rather than short-term financial performance, and the effective use of human capital. High American wages, while clearly a factor, reflect our high standard of living, which few would be willing to compromise in order to compete with offshore production. The study will examine how changes in the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing industries affect the ability of the U.S. economy to create new jobs in various sectors. The study will also assess how technology, coupled with strategic responses by U.S. firms, could reverse the erosion of our market shares. Possible policy responses of the u.s. government will be identified, with particular emphasis on policies that could stimulate American producers to invest in technologies for development and commericialization of new products, policies that could aid industrial and technological development in industrializing nations without unduly harming American manufacturers, and trade policies that go beyond traditional "free trade or protection" arguments. Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Finance Hon. Bob Packwood, Chairman Hon. John Heinz, Chairman, Subcommittee on Internatiional Finance and Monetary Policy Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Hon. Jake Garn, Chairman House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Hon. Fernand J. St Germain Project Director: Julie Gorte, 226-2205 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: December 1988 TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO CHINA --The People's Republic of China (PRC) is introducing major changes as it rapidly modernizes its economic system and seeks improved global relationships. Imports of technology and scientific expertise and the encouragement of foreign investment are key elements. This presents economic and strategic opportunities and risks for the United States. China could become a major market for U.S. exports, and technology transfer could enhance economic growth for both countries. Technology transfer could also be a major factor in improving relations and strengthening China's role in Asia. However, technology transfer can also lead to problems. If relations deteriorate between the U.S. and the PRC, we may regret having provided technology that would strengthen their military. For instance, computers and telecommunication equipment, even if sold for commercial use, could be redirected, or the expertise developed in using them employed in independently producing military equipment. Another concern is that they may import only enough technology to get a start, and then expand commercially to become a competitor in world markets. This
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28 -assessment will examine the role of imported science and technology in the plans of the PRC; the technology the U.S. and other nations can supply; the impacts of policies, both for control and promotion, on these transfers; and the security and commercial risks involved. Interim Deliverable: Energy Technology Transfer to China (Technical Memorandum) (Published September 1985) Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Hon. Jake Garn, Chairman Hon. William Proxmire, Ranking Minority Member House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John Dingell, Chairman Hon. James Broyhill, Ranking Minority Member Hon. Al Swift, Chairman, Special Subcommittee on U.S.-Pacific Rim Trade Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (endorsement) Hon. Dave Durenberger, Chairman Hon. Patrick Leahy, Vice Chairman Project Director: Alan Crane, 6-2105 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: December 1986 ALTERNATIVES FOR IMPROVING NATO'S DEFENSE RESPONSE Recent initiatives to improve NATO's defenses have focused on "follow-on forces attack" (FOFA), a tactical interdiction mission that aims to defeat an invasion by attacking enemy forces while they are moving toward the battle area, and a related interdiction mission that would support FOFA. U.S. programs to develop a capability for deep interdiction may be able to substantially increase NATO's nonnuclear defense capabilities. Central to these programs are new "smart" conventional munitions. The U.S. presently spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually on research on weapons and support systems for interdiction; eventual procurements could total hundreds of billions. Yet there exists to date no comprehensive study of interdiction and its implications for NATO. This OTA assessment is developing a comprehensive appraisal of the military and technical risks and opportunities of applying various alternative technologies to the "deep interdiction" capability in NATO, with particular attention to possible implications for Alliance cohesion and cooperation. The study is focused on comparing alternative new munitions to the existing munitions, and other issues such as aircraft and missile platforms and target acquisition systems will be reviewed. Unsolved technical problems will be identified and assessed. Soviet doctrine and U.S.
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29 and Allied strategy and doctrine will be reviewed to assess the military value of various approaches to interdiction, and possible Soviet responses. Finally, the project will identify and assess possible U.S. policy options for developing this capability. Interim Deliverable: Technologies for NATO's Follow-on Forces Attack Concept (Special Report) (Classified version submitted to Committee 2/86; unclassified version published 7/86) Request or Affirmation of Interest: House Committee on Foreign Affairs Hon. Dante Fascell, Chairman Hon. William S. Broomfield, Ranking Minority Member House Committee on Armed Services Hon. Les Aspin, Chairman Hon. William Dickinson, Ranking Minority Member Senate Committee on Armed Services (affirmation of interest) Hon. Barry Goldwater, Chairman Hon. Sam Nunn, Ranking Minority Member Project Director: Alan Shaw, 6-2018 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: December 1986 SEISMIC VERIFICATION OF NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATIES --For nearly 30 years, a ban on the testing of nuclear weapons has been a major objective of arms control. Although the past five administrations have sought to achieve this goal, it has remained unattainable due in large part to the technical question of whether such a treaty could be adequately verified. This question has become particularly pronounced in view of the administration's finding that the Soviet Union is likely to have violated the Threshold Test Ban Treaty by exceeding the 150 kiloton testing limit. The specific concern is that seismic methods used to verify test bans may not be able to distinguish between earthquakes and certain relatively small nuclear explosions. In addition, the monitoriong network could perhaps be evaded by muffling explosins in large underground cavities, or by masking explosions during naturally occurring earthquakes. Recently, there have been a number of technological achievements in the field of seismology and assertions have been made that they will significantly improve our capabilities to monitor underground nuclear explosions. Some of these new discorveries may also provide effective methods for countering the possible evasion ploys. This study will examine the nature of these new technolgies and assess their potential for improving our seismic verification capabilities.
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-30 -Request or Affirmation of Interest Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Hon. Dave Durenberger, Chairman Hon. Patrick Leahy, Vice Chairman House Committee on Foreign Affairs Hon. Dante Fascell, Chairman House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Hon. Lee Hamilton, Chairman Project Director: Greg Vink, 226-2026 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: March 1987 STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE SURVIVABILITY AND SOFTWARE --This project will attempt to meet mandated study objectives by carrying out three major tasks: 1) update of the 1985 OTA Report on New Ballistic Missile Defense Technologies with respect to the technologies currently being researched under the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). The work of the earlier report will not be repeated, but rather special attention will be given to filling in gaps in that Report and to reporting on technical progress made in the intervening two years; 2) examination of the best currently available information on the prospects for functional survival against preemptive attack of alternative ballistic missile defense system architectures currently being studied under the SDI; and 3) analysis of the issues involved in the question of whether it is feasible to develop reliable software to perform the battle management tasks required by such system architectures. Request or Affirmation of Interest: Mandated by P.L. 99-190 Project Director: Tom Karas, 6-2014 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: June 1987 Health and Life Sciences Division TECHNOLOGIES TO MAINTAIN BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY --Maintaining biological diversity of plants and animals is both a matter of insurance and investment necessary to sustain and improve agriculture, to keep open future options for medical discoveries, and as the raw material for industrial innovation and genetic engineering. Agricultural development needs wild plants as a source of new genes to increase yields, to improve disease resistance, and to increase the ability of crops to withstand extreme environmental stresses. Wild plants are used by the pharmaceutical industry as sources of valuable compounds that, once discovered in nature, sometimes can be synthesized in the laboratory. Animal physiology affords many clues to the origins and nature of human ailments. For example, the cotton-topped marmoset, a species of monkey susceptible to lymphatic cancer, is helping to produce a potent anticancer vaccine. Genetic engineering, an emerging technology with great potentials for agriculture, depends on biological diversity for the raw material to engineer. Thus loss of diversity could reduce the potential
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31 -opportunities that this technology offers. But while the importance of diverse biological resources is receiving increasing attention, diversity appears to be declining and valuable reservoirs of germ plasm are disappearing. In order to identify opportunities to maintain biological diversity, OTA will: 1) assess the status of biological diversity and its rates of change; 2) assess the economic, social, ecological, and political implications of a decline in biological diversity; 3) assess technologies (both in situ and ex situ) to maintain plant and animal biological diversity; 4) assess the role of institutions and U.S.-funded agencies {e.g.~ U.N. and World Bank) in developing and transferring beneficial technologies for maintaining biological diversity; and 5) identify policy options that will facilitate the development and use of such technologies to maintain biological diversity. Interim Deliverables: Grassroots Conservation of Biolo ical Diversit in the United States Background Paper 1; published 2/86) Assessing Biological Diversity in the United States: Data Considerations (Background Paper /12; published 4/86) The Role of U.s. Development Assistance in Maintaining Biological Diversity (Staff Paper; published 7/86) Request.or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Hon. Jesse Helms, Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Hon. Claiborne Pell House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman. House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries Hon. Walter Jones, Chairman Hon. Joel Pritchard, then Ranking Minority Member Hon. John B. Breaux, Chairman, Subcommittee on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Hon. Don Young, Subcommittee on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment House Committee onForeign Affairs Hon. Dante Fascell, Chairman Hon. Don Bonker, Chairman, Subcommittee on International Economic Policy and Trade Hon. Qus Yat:ron, Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations House Committee on Agriculture Hon. E. de la Garza, Chairman Project Director: Susan Shen, 6-2256 Projected Delivery Date to _TAB: September 1986
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32 -LOW-RESOURCE AGRICULTURE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES --Most people in developing countries are subsistence farmers who cannot obtain or afford the expensive fertilizers and pesticides upon which the highyield (Green Revolution) technologies are based. Thus, as populations grow and fuel prices rise, low-resource agricultural technologies are receiving increased attention from donors and researchers. For example, international donors such as the Peace Corps and the World Bank are giving high priority to research and development projects that enhance rather than replace low-resource, traditional farming methods. This is particularly true for programs in Africa where subsistence farmers hold the key to increasing food production and where the continuing need for massive food aid demonstrates the failure of many past agricultural, development assistance and resource protection policies. This OTA assessment will build upon the results of a previous Technical Memorandum, Africa Tomorrow: Issues in Technology, Agriculture, and U.S. Foreign Aid. By examining low-resource agricultural technologies world-wide, OTA will help Congress evaluate programs and formulate policies related to both U.S. agriculture and foreign policy. In order to do this, OTA will: 1) determine which of these technologies can increase African food production in socio-economically and environmentally sustainable ways; 2) identify the U.S. role in technology development and transfer; 3) assess actual and potential benefits to the U.S. from participation in international agricultural research on low-resource methods; and 4) evaluate certain aspects of the Sahel Development Program as a case study in U.S. public and private assistance to Africa. Interim Deliverable: Continuing the Commitment: Sahel Development Program (Special Report; published 8/86) Request or Affirmation of Interest: Technology Assessment Board Hon. Morris K. Udall, Vice Chairman Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Orrin G. Hatch Hon. Cooper Evans Hon. Claiborne Pell House Committee on Agriculture Hon. E. (Kika) de la Garza, Chairman House Committee on Foreign Affairs Hon. Dante B. Fascell, Chairman (endorsement) House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman Hon. James H. Scheuer, Chairman, Subcommittee on Natural Resources, Agriculture Research, and Env1ronment House Select Committee on Hunger Hon. Mickey Leland, Chairman Hon. Marge Roukema, Ranking Minority Member Project Director: Phyllis Windle, 6-2265 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: June 1987
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33 -TECHNOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY TO ENHANCE GRAIN QUALITY IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE-~ U.S. agriculuture is beginning to show signs of declining international competiveness. For U.S. grains, the major component of agriculutral exports, quality is becoming a growing reason for this decline. Complaints from foreign buyers have surged in recent years and Congressional concern is growing about the poor quality of U.S. grain. Grain producers already_are having difficult financial times and the loss of sales for quality reasons adds to their further problems. In Congre~sional debate of the Food Security Act of 1985 legislative proposals were discussed on how best to improve U.S. grain quality. It became quite apparent that little is known about this area, so Congress amended the Food Security Act to direct the Office of Technology Assessment to conduct a study on grain-handling technologies and export quality standards. The study is to provide information on: 1) competitive problems the U.S. faces in international grain markets attributed to grain quality; 2) the extent to which U.S. grain-handling technologies and quality standards have contributed to declining grain sales; 3) differences in grain-handling technology and export quality standards between the U.S. and competitor countries; 4) consequences to exporters and farmers to changes in grain-handling technologies and quality standards; and 5) feasibility of utilizing new technology to better classify grains. Request or Affirmation of Interest Mandated in Food Security Act of 1985 House Committee on Agriculuture Hon.Ede la Garza, Chairman Hon. Edward R. Madigan, Ranking Minority Member Hon. Berkley Bedell, Chairman, Subcommittee on Department. Operation, Research, and Foreign Agriculture Joint Economic Committee Hon. James Abdnor, Vice Chairman Project Director: Michael Phillips, 226-2266 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: June 1988 MONITORING OF MANDATED VIETNAM VETERAN STUDIES --As mandated by PL 96-151, reviews epidemiologic studies regarding long-term health effects of veterans exposed to dioxins in Vietnam. Request or Affirmation of Interest: Mandated by PL 96-151. Project Director: Hellen Gelband, 6-2070 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: Indeterminate
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34 -TECHNOLOGY AND CHILD HEALTH --This project will bring together the current evidence on the effectiveness and costs of health care technologies in promoting and maintaining children's health. It will examine current patterns of availability of these technologies and barriers to their appropriate use. The role of Federal policies, including Medicaid, Maternal and Child Health, and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, in providing access to preventive and therapeutic technologies will be examined A range of illness prevention and therapeutic technologies is available at every phase of childhood and the prenatal period. Some, applied in the prenatal period, can reduce the risk of neonatal mortality and morbidity; others, applied later in the child's life, may prevent illnesses that typically manifest themselves in adulthood. New medical technology has also transformed formerly fatal childhood diseases into serious chronic illnesses, whose victims remain technology-dependent for extended periods of time. It is often feasible for these children to be cared for in the home, provided the financial and supportive resources are available. The availability of these life saving technologies raises questions about the private and public financing and organization of services for this small but growing population. This project will emphasize study of illness prevention technologies, including non-medical technologies such as promotion of safe behavior (e.g., seat-belt use) and improved nutrition. Among the preventive technologies to be considered will be prenatal screening, monitoring, and care; infant screening; immunizations; and early-childhood screening. Therapeutic technologies will include neo-natal intensive care and pediatric home care for technology-dependent children. Interim Deliverables: Technology Dependent Children (Technical Memorandum) Tocodynamometry (Case Study) Request or Affirmation of Interest: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John D. Dingell, Chairman Hon. Henry A. Waxman, Chairman, Subcommittee on Health and the Environment Hon. Edward R. Madigan, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Health and the Environment Hon. Thomas J. Tauke Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources Hon. Orrin G. Hatch, Chairman Senate Committee on Finance Hon. Bob Packwood, Chairman Hon. Russell B. Long, Ranking Minority Member Project Director: Judith Wagner, 6-2070 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: March 1987
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35 -NONTRADITIONAL METHODS OF CANCER TREATMENT: SCIENCE AND POLICY ISSUES In 1986, it is estimated, more than 900,000 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer, and about half of those people will die from their cancer within five years. Conventional cancer treatments, even when successful, can be painful and disfiguring, and of long duration. Each year, thousands of American cancer patients turn to methods of diagnosis and treatment which have not been assessed through the standard scientific process, and for which there is inadequate information on which to judge their safety and effectiveness. Many healthy people. use nontraditional methods, also unproven, which are claimed to prevent the development of cancer. The Federal Government has not taken a direct role in evaluating or controlling most nontraditional cancer treatments, although both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have acted in certain instances. State legislatures have passed laws legalizing the use of treatments that have not been approved by FDA. For instance, by the mid-1970's, laetrile had been#legalized in more than 25 states. More recently, in 1981, Immuno-Augmentative Therapy (IAT) was made legal by the Oklahoma legislature, and the Florida legislature passed a law (repealed in 1984) allowing the use of IAT and other unconventional therapies. In the private sector, the American Cancer Society has been most active in gathering information about nontraditional therapies and disseminating it to the public. Professional societies and patient advocacy groups have also participated in critically informing medical professionals and the public about these treatments. Proponents of unconventional treatments also have information networks through which they disseminate information. The proposed assessment would 1) examine the role of public and private sector bodies in evaluating and providing information about nontraditional treatments; 2) critically review the existing literature, both from mainstream science and from the proponents of nontraditional treatments; 3) estimate, if possible,the number of Americans who avail themselves on these treatments and the financial impact on individuals and on health insurers; 4) examine the potential for conducting evaluations of nontraditional treatments that would meet the same standards of evidence required of mainstream treatments; and 5) develop objective guidelines for planning such evaluations. IAT would be used as a case study for the development of guidelines. Interim Deliverable: Immuno-augmentative Therapy (Case Study) (Dec. 1987) Request or Affirmation of Interest House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John Dingell, Chairman
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36 -Congressional Requesters and endorsers: Hon. Guy V. Molinari, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Alfonse M. D'Amato, U.S. Senate Hon. James Howard, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Robert A. Roe, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Bill Chappell, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Mario Biaggi, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Jim Leach, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Gary L. Ackerman, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Raymond J. McGrath, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Thomas J. Downey, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. John Myers~ U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Dan Glickman, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Barbara A. Mikulski, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Denny Smith, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Bill McCollum, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Edolphus Towns, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Charles E. Schumer, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Frank R. Wolf, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Robert J. Mrazek, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Robert C. Smith, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. James A. Traficant, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Jim Lightfoot, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Patrick L. Swindall, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Norman F. Lent, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. James Abdnor, U.S. Senate Hon. J. Bennett Johnston, U.S. Senate Hon. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, U.S. Senate Hon. William Lehman, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Frank Horton, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Beverly Byron, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. James H. Quillen, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Douglas Bosco, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Don Young, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. c.v. (Sonny) Montgomery, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Berkley Bedell, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. David S. Monson, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Peter H. Kostmayer,U.S. House of Representatives Hon. James Weaver, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Charles E. Grassley, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Robert J. Lagomarsino, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Matthew J. Rinaldo, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Guy Vander Jagt, U.S. House of Representatives Hon. Alan B. Mollohan, U.S. House of Representatives Project Director: Hellen Gelband, 226-2070 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: June 1988
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37 -ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF MEDICAL CARE --The general public relies on physicians and other medical providers for advice about medical technologies and referrals. But lay people still face the problem of evaluating the quality of care delivered by these providers. Public concern about this situation has grown as Federal and State governments, private insurers, and employers have increased efforts to moderate medical expenditures. There is concern that appropriate use of technologies and quality of care could be sacrificed as providers and plans in turn intensify activities to constrain their costs. More information is also important to enable the health.care market to work efficiently. This study would evaluate possible techniques for assessing quality of care to ascertain whether valid information could be developed and made available to the public. Quality and its possible measurement have multiple dimensions. Technical aspects of quality matter to medical providers, consumers, and society, but consumers may place more emphasis than providers on interpersonal aspects. At the societal level there is interest in equitable distribution of medical technolgies and public health benefits of care. These dimensions of quality can be described and assessed by indicators of the structure, process, and outcome of care. The OTA study would examine avaliable methodologies and develop criteria, such as validity, to evaluate measures of quality. OTA would then use these criteria to evaluate possible quality indicators for hospitals, physicians, and health plans. In its policy options, the study wouid consider the availability and costliness of data, organizational responsibility for quality assessment and information dissemination, and the use of quality assessment results. Request or Affirmation of Interest: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John D. Dingell, Chairman Hon. Henry A. Waxman, Chairman, Subcommittee on Health and the Environment Hon. James H. Scheuer, member, Subcommittee on Health and the the Environment House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman Hon.. George E. Brown, member Hon. James H. Scheuer, member Senate Special Committee on AgJng Hon. John Heinz, Chairman Hon. John Glenn, Ranking Minority Member Project Director: Jane Sisk, 226-2070 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: March 1988 DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL TESTS: IMPACT ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE POLICIES TOWARD HEALTH CARE --Tests to identify individuals who are likely to develop serious diseases are being rapidly developed. Some of these tests are directed at genetic diseases for which there are no known therapies, thereby raising questions over the social consequences of
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38 identifying susceptible persons. Use of the test for detecting antibodies to the AIDS virus is already a highly controversial issue. The use of diagnostic tests by health insurance companies, self-insured businesses, and health maintenance organizations may lead to substantial costs to government if private insurance becomes very costly or unavailable. While the Federal government plays an important role in financing health care, the regulation of health insurance is largely a State function. This assessment would: 1) identify the tests in use and under development; 2) identify how such tests are used in setting insurance rates for employees and their dependents or in excluding such individuals from coverage; 3) estimate the number-of people who could be affected; 4) estimate the health care costs for treating or caring for affected invididuals; and 5) develop policy options vis a vis the Federal role in relationship to State and private sector actions and responsiblities. Request or Affirmation of Interest: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John Dingell, Chairman Hon. Henry A. Waxman, Chairman, Subcommittee on Health and the Environment Hon. Ted Weiss, Chairman, Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations and Human Resources House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. James H. Scheuer, Chairman, Subcommittee on Natural Resources, Agriculuture Research and Environment House Committee on Ways and Means Hon. Fortney H. (Pete) Stark, Chairman Hon. Daniel K. Inouye, endorser Project Director: Larry Miike, 226-2070 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: March 1988 NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY --In the past 10 years the growth of biotechnology has been explosive. Large and small firms have invested billions of dollars in the technology across a broad array of applications. Advances in basic research are equally impressive. A number of new techniques are in development or have reached the market that will improve the detection of cancer and a variety of genetic diseases; others will improve the treatment of these diseases. For example, a diagnostic test for the genetic disease Huntington's Chorea is close, and Factor VIII, a blood clotting factor, may soon be available to treat hemophiliacs. Agricultural applications include improved resistance to plant pests and pesticides, and nutritional enhancement of existing food crops. Biotechnology has great promise for numerous applications both now and in the future; there is also concern about the potential consequences of these applications. This assessment will focus on several interrelated areas: the directions in which the technology is developing including
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39 -environmental and medical applications; the social utility of these applications; and the implications of the technology for intellectual property law. Although separate areas, assessment of each is dependent on background knowledge in the others; hence they are combined in one assessment. Several questions with regard to environmental applications need to be answered. Are the environmental ramifications of the deliberate or accidental release of genetically engineered organisms being adequately reviewed under the existing regulatory structure? How well can the levels of risk be predicted? How much and what kind of research is being done by regulatory agencies, the academic community, and industry? What regulatory criteria should be used to evaluate risk? Closely tied to this issue is public perception. How do people perceive the risks of biotechnology? What kind of information 'is widely disseminated? Is information targeted to specific groups? Is there a need for specific changes in education? What are the economic and social impacts of the patterns of development of biotechnology? Has the need for capital and the types of firms developing products influenced the types of products, especially in agriculture? Is the technology being transferred in a manner that will benefit not only highly developed nations but also lesser developed c6untries? How can the Federal government encourage the development of products that could directly benefit the third world and individuals with diseases of rare occurrence? New techniques for diagnosing inherited diseases are being developed. What is the status of these technologies? Are there special problems a88ociated with their use because of the time lag between the ability to diagnose and the ~bility to, treat diseases? The adequacy and limitations of intellectual property law vis-a-vis biotechnology need assessment. Do present criteria for utility patents apply to all living organisms produced by biotechnology? Are there special considerations in the deposit of these products? How long should they be stored? Who should have access? When is experimental use of the products infringement? ls Public Law 96-517, the patent law that allows research institutions to apply for patents on research results, equitable to all parties concerned? Are patient rights in experimental and clinical settings being adequately protected? Interim Deliverables: Public and Private Funding of Reserach and Training in Biotechnologz (Background Paper) (Spring 1987) (Contact Kathi Hanna, 6-2289) Environmental Applications of Genetically Altered Organisms (Background Paper) (Spring 1987) (Contact Val Giddings, 6-2289) Applications of Biotechnology to Test for Human Genetic Disorders (Background paper) (Spring 1987) (Contact Tony Holtzman, 6-2070) Ownership of Human Tissues and Cells (Background Paper) (Jari.. 1987) (Contact Gladys White, 6-3883)
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-40 -Request or Affirmation of Interest: House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John D. Dingell, Chairman Senate Committee on the Budget Hon. Lawton Chiles,, Ranking Minority Member Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Hon. Dave Durenberger, Chairman, Subcommittee on Toxic Substances and Environmental Oversight Project Director: Gary Ellis, 6-2099 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: April 1988 INFERTILITY PREVENTION AND TREATMENT -Infertility affects one in six American couples. About one million of these couples seek the help of doctors and infertility clinics each year. The health-care costs of infertility have been estimated to be at least $200 million annually and may be closer to $1 billion, virtually all from the private sector. A majority of infertile adults can be effectively treated with newly developed microsurgical techniques and/or fertility drugs. In addition, artificial insemination results in the birth of some 10,000-20,000 children each year in the U.S. Since 1978, other new techniques of conception have brought hope to childless couples. For example, through mid-1985, some 800 infants have been born with the help of approximately 200 fertilization clinics around the world (including 122 clinics in 35 States and the District of Columbia) that use in vitro techniques. Both the number of clinics in operation and the number of infants born with the help of these methods are rising steadily, mirroring the popular demand for, and technical success of, reproductive therapy. Various concerns have been raised, including whether some clinics misrepresent their success rates, leading to consumer fraud. Public health concerns have arisen over the failure of most artificial insemination practitioners to screen sperm donors for sexually or genetically transmitted diseases. Societal custom, law, and regulation are largely unequipped to handle the rapidly changing, novel social and biological opportunities and relationships offered by innovative reproductive technologies. This assessment will cover six principal areas: (1) Technologies to prevent infertility. The assessment will describe causes of infertility and will discuss approaches to prevention. Existing and anticipated technologies to prevent infertility will be addressed. (2) Technologies to diagnose infertility. The report will describe the diagnostic technologies and techniques used to identify the existence and cause of an individual's infertility. Anticipated advances in infertility diagnostics will be discussed. (3) Technologies to treat infertility. The assessment will also describe existing and anticipated technologies for assisting human reproduction (e.g., therapeutic drugs, microsurgery, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, surrogate motherhood, freezing of germ cells and embryos), as well as ancillary reproductive technologies (e.g., sex-selection). Me.dical
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41 -screening of donors for genetic and sexually transmitted diseases will also be addressed. (4) Federal and State regulation of reproductive technologies. What protection from genetic and other injuries does the law offer the various parties who participate in medically-assisted reproduction? Is this protection sufficient? In addition, the report will discuss the effect of Federal policy on the quality and/or availability of infertility therapies in the United States. (5) Veterans' issues. What are the special reproductive problems of v-eterans? How is service-connected infertility being addressed by the Veterans' Administration? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of providing infertility treatment in VA facilities? (6) Other issues. State laws governing a child's legitimacy, custody, inheritance rights, support, and adoption will be addressed insofar as some types of infertility treatment raise special issues. The assessment will also addresa whether access to these therapies can constitutionally _be limited. Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs Hon. Frank Murkowski, Chairman House Committee on Government Operations Hon. Ted Weiss, Chairman, Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations and Human Resources Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs Hon. Albert Gore, Jr., Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on the Civil Service, Post Office and General Service Project Director: Gary Ellis, 6-2099 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: November 1987 MAPPING THE HUMAN GENOME --The proposed assessment will be an early warning project likely to be of great interest to authorizing committees, appropriations committees, science agencies, and the general public. Each human cell, except sperm and egg cells, contains 46 chromosomes. Th,e chromosomes contain an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 genes encoded throughout a sequence of some 3 to 3.5 billion DNA base pairs. Technologies to rapidly determine DNA sequences have been developed over the past decade, and have recently been automated~ Techniques to identify "landmarks" on each of the human chromosomes are well uncerway,and the number of such landmarks is roughly doubling each year. These emerging technologies have led to speculation that the Federal Government should mount a special effort, estimated to cost in the range of $3 billion over 5 to 10 years, to generate the entire human DNA sequence. A concurrent debate centers on alternative.means of usefully mapping the human genome, not necessarily resulting in a complete DNA sequence. The Japanese are mounting a major gene sequencing project, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) -with its $5 billion endowment -is heavily invested in gene mapping.
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-42 -Policy implications arise from several sources. First, the expertise to perform the sequencing resides in several different executive agenceis, primarily the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Funding and coordination would thus be complex. Second, this could be among the first "big science" projects in biology, requring substantial resources over a sustained period. Third, the technologies to do the sequencing and gene mapping would have signficant clinical applications, scientific consequences, and industrial spinoffs for biotechnolgoy. Fourth an international effort to map the human genome would have to contend with conflicts between free exchange of data and technololgy, on one hand, and propriety and nationalistic interests on the other. Request or Affirmation of interest: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John Dingell, Chair.man Project Director: Robert Cook-Deegan, 226-2034 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: December 1987 Science, Information, and Natural Resources Division NEW COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: IMPLICATIONS FOR PRIVACY AND SECURITY -The Federal Government, the largest single user of information technology equipment, is facing major changes in the nature and uses of communications technology. New generations of products --such as local and wide area networks, software-controlled switching, digital communications integrated with computers, and satellite and fiber optic transmission --each bring much greater capability to managers and users for accessing, manipulating, and transmitting information. In addition, the government, like the private sector, is rapidly expanding the number of ways in which it uses information technology to accomplish its business. These new capabilities and uses challenge the integrity of the government's information system. This study is evaluating two sets of these challenges that are essentially opposite sides of the same coin; the implications of increasingly advanced telecommunications systems for the privacy of workers; and the security and vulnerability of these systems to unauthorized use. The study examines new and prospective capabilities of communications technology, assesses their impact on privacy and security, and analyzes how the combination of technical, administrative, and legal safeguards can cope with privacy and security implications.
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43 -Requesters: House Committee on Government Operations Hon. Jack Brooks, Chairman House Committee on the Judiciary Hon. Don Edwards, .Chairman, Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights Project Director: Charles Wilk, 6-2240 Projected Delivery Date to TAB:-. March 1987 TECHNOLOGY, PUBLIC POLICY, AND THE CHANGING NATURE OF FEDERAL INFORMATION DISSEMINATION...:.. Use of information technology such as electronic document filing, computer-aided surveys, computerized databases, optical disks, electronic mail, electronic remote printing, and electr9nic bulletin boards -is already affecting and could ultimately revolutionize the public information functions of government. However, the use of such technology is complicated because of tensions involving public information, management efficiency and.cost reduction, and private sector cooperation and competition. This study will: identify and describe the current institutional base for federal dissemination of public information; assess the current technological base and relevant future technological developments; evaluate present and future public information needs and how technology might help meet such needs; and identify and analyze key issues and options. These will include, for example, possible future public information roles of the Government Printing Office, executive agencies, libraries, and private firms; policies for public access to and dissemination of federal information, including policies on the depository library and statistical systems; and opportunities for innovative use of information technology in, for example, electronic remote printing of f ede:fal reports, electronic access to federal data bases used in decision support systems, and scientific and technical information exchange. Request or Affirmation of Interest: Joint Committee on Printing Hon. Charles McC. Mathias, Chairman Hon. Frank Annunzio, Vice Chairman House Committee on Government Operations Hon. Glenn English, Chairman, Subcommittee on Government Information, Justice, and Agriculture Project Director: Fred Wood, 226-2244 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: (Pt.l..:.Dec. 1986) (Part II-March 1987) COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS FOR AN INFORMATION AGE --Recent advances in information storage and transmission technologies, occurring in a newly deregulated and intensely competitive economic climate, are
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44 rapidly reconfiguring the Nation's communcations networks. The revolution in computers and communcations technolgoy has already transformed the regulation and market structure of the industry, dramatically changing the way in which information is created, processed, transmitted, and made available to individual citizens and institutions. These technologies hold promise for a greatly enhanced communcations system, which can meet the changing communcations needs of an information-based society. How these technololgies evolve will depend on decisions being made now in both the public and private sectors. This study will provide a context for evaluating these decisions, and will help Congress to decide on the proper Federal role. The assessment will explore the role the Federal Government might play in this area, with particular emphasis on the issues raised by technological advances. This study will 1) characterize the new communcation technologies and explore the intricacies of coordinating them; 2) identify their potential for meeting changing communications goals and needs; 3) discuss conflicts that might stem from their development and use; and 4) examine new communcations systems abroad and their potential relationships to the U.S. system. Request or Affirmation of interest: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John D. Dingell, Chairman Project Director: Linda Garcia, 226-2247 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: September 1988 WASTES IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT: THEIR MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL --Due to lower disposal costs relative to other alternatives, and increasing public opposition to land-based disposal alternatives, it is likely that press e to use the ocean for waste disposal will continue or increase. As coastal areas of the United States have become more developed, the amounts of sewage sludge generated from municipal treatment plants and of dredged material from ports and harbors have increased. Disposal of both waste types, especially sewage sludge, at ocean dumpsites has been controversial but also has increased markedly in the last few decades. There also have been proposals to use the oceans for the disposal of different types of nuclear waste and for at-sea incineration of hazardous synthetic organics such as PCB's. The assessment is examining the different technologies used or proposed for disposal of different types of waste in the ocean. Primary emphasis is on sewage sludge, dredged material, low-and high-level radioactive waste, and some industrial wastes that are compatible with ocean disposal. The study is addressing policy issues related to the role of the oceans within an overall waste management context, alternative strategies for managing these wastes in coastal areas, the pretreatment of wastes prior to disposal, and research and development priorities. The environmental, economic, international, and institutional implications of different policy options will be evaluated.
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45 -Interim Deliverable: Subseabed Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste (Staff Paper; 5/86) Ocean Incineration: Role in Managing Hazardous Wastes (Published 8/86) Requesters: Rouse Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries Ho_n. Walter B. Jones, Chairman Ron. Edwin B. Forsythe, then Ranking Minority-Member Hon. Mario Biaggi, Chairman, Subcommittee cin Merchant Marine Hon. Norman D'Am.ours, then Chairman, Subcommittee on Oceanography House Committee on Public Works and Transportation Hon. James J. Howard, Chairman Hon. Gene Snyder, Ranking Minority Member Hon. Robert A. Roe, Cllairman, Subcommittee on Water Resources Hon. Arlan Stangeland, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Water Resources Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Hon. Bob PackwO<>d, then Chairman Hon. Ernest Hollings, Ranking Minority Member Project Director: Howard Levenson, 6-2132 Projected. Delivery Date to TAB: November 1986 TECHNOLOGIES TO CONTROL ILLEGAL D~UG TRAFFIC --Control of illegal drugs entering the United States froin foreign countries is an important part of federal drug law enforcement efforts. The detection and seizure of drugs at U.S. borders depends on a number of advanced technologies, including radar and other sensing devices and specializ~d ships and aircraft. The Customs Service and the Coast Guard, the two agencies with primary responsibility for monitoring U.S. borders, are devoting.an increasing share of their resources to intercepting illegal drugs~ A number of other federal agenc~es -including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Border Patrol, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Department of Defense --assist interdiction programs. Technical and organizational improvements could increase the effectiveness of drug interdiction efforts. There are proposals to purchase additional equipment for Customs Service and Coast Guard programs; to develop and introduce new, more sophisticated technical systems; and to increase military assistance through the loan of military hardware and greater participation of armed forces personnel in drug control activities. This assessment is evaluating current and proposed technologies for drug interdiction, their cost-effectiveness, and their most appropriate use in controlling illegal drug traffic. Requesters: Senate Committee on Appropriations Hon. Marko. Hatfield, Chairman Hon. John C. Stennis, Ranking Minority Member
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-46 Hon. Alfonse M. D'Amato Hon. Paul Laxalt Hon. James Abdnor Hon. Mark Andrews Hon. Ernest F. Hollings Hon. Lawton Chiles Hon. Dennis De Concini Hon. Daniel K. Inouye Project Director: Peter Johnson, 6-2066 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: December 1986 TECHNOLOGIES FOR EXPLORING AND DEVELOPING SEABED RESOURCES IN THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONES --The United States assumed control of ocean resources within 3 billion acres of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) seaward 200 miles in 1983. Prospects for petroleum and non-fuel mineral resources within the EEZ are considered to be high, but little is actually known of the seabed resource potential within this vast area. Exploration and survey of the EEZ requires highly sophisticated remote sensing both above and below the ocean. The job is enormous and is expected to be very expensive. Several questions are key to the assessment and development of living and non-living resources and the protection of the marine environment: 1) What is currently known about marine resources and their associated environments in the EEZ; 2) What are the current activities in charting, surveying, exploring, and conducting research in the EEZ; 3) What technologies are required to explore and develop marine resources; 4) What would be needed to ensure environmental protection in the event of seabed development; 5) In what economic context should the marine resources of the EEZ be placed in reference to world markets and the economy; and 6) Are there international implications for developing seabed resources in the margins of the EEZ. Request or Affirmation of Interest: House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries Hon. Walter B. Jones, Chairman Hon. Barbara A. Mikulski, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Oceanography Hon. Mike Lowry, Chairman, Subcommittee on Panama Cana/Outer Continental Shelf House Committee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman Project Director: James Curlin, 6-2077 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: April 1987 NEW CLEAN AIR ACT ISSUES --This OTA assessment will focus on air pollution concerns that are among the most contentious issues facing Congress in it attempt to reauthorize the Clean Air Act. The first is urban ozone. Currently the health-based air quality standard for ozone is being exceeded in about 70 urban regions, areas in which about one-third of the population of the United States lives. EPA estimates that about half of the areas will still not be in
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-47 -attainment by the 1987 deadline required by the Act. Second, the assessment will address the closely related problem of regional oxidants (primarily ozone), pollutants that can lower the productivity of agricultural and forested regions and contribute to violations of health-based ambient air quality standards in urban areas, often far from the sources from the sources from which the polutants are formed. Next, while evaluating the cost-effectiveness of controlling various sources of hydorcarbon emmisions for lowering ozone levels, the assessment will also identify which of these hydrocarbons might also be toxic air pollutants. Finally, the assessment will update our-ability to analyze new options for con,trolling acid rain, the major focus of an earlier assessment. Request or Affirmation of Interest: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Hon. Robert T. Stafford, Chairman House Conunittee on Energy and Commerce Hon. John D. Dingell, Chairman Hon. Henty_A. Waxman, Chairman, Subcommittee on Health and-the Environment Project Director: Robert Friedman, 226-..2131 Projected Delivei::y Date to TAB: March 1988 SUSTAINING THE NATIONAL TECHNOLOGICAL BASE:_ EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT OF SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS -This study will identify and analyze factors affecting the education and employment of scientists and engineers over the next two decades. The objective of this analysis is to describe the dynamic interactions between public policies, private actions, and the nation's changing research work force. The first part of the study will review supply and demand data, models, and projections for individual scientific and engineering disciplines. It will compare different fields and investigate the usefulness of existing data collection and forecasting methods. Key trends and factors shaping supply and demand for scientific and engineering disciplines will be identified. These factors will be analyzed in detail in the second part of the study. The analysis will focus on underg-raduate and graduate education-, the primary source of new scientists and engineers; and on academic and industrial needs for faculty and researchers, which dominate. demand for scientists and engineers. Requesters: House CQmmittee on Science and Technology Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman Project Director: Nancy Naismith, 226-2214 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: December 1987
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-48 -EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: AN ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICE AND POTENTIAL --The use of micorcomputers in all types of elementary/secondary schools has grown dramatically in this decade. Between 1981 and 1984, the proportion of schools with microcomputers rose from 18 to 85 percent. Presently there are more than a million microcomputer used fo~ instruction. The use of computer-based technologies in conjunction with telecommunmications and video systems is occurring as well. Spreading rapidly, and used in a variety of ways, the technologies appear to be able to serve many purposes: to reinforce basic skills, to overcome physical handicaps, to deliver instruction, as well as to become tools for learning and the basis for learning new skills and content. The considerable investments in hardware and other resources are based on the assumptions that educational technologies can be used to improve instruction, to increase learning, and to enhance overall program effectiveness. OTA will analyze how these technologies are being used, what their effect has been, and how improved technolgoies could affect future use. The assessment will cover: extent and use of the various technologies today; equity among various types of schools and learners; extent and type of use under federally-funded assistance programs, costs of implementation and evidence of costeffectiveness. The study will analyze key factors influencing effective use of technology such as: teacher training, software, institutional support, and research and development. Finally, the study will consider changes in technology, institutional structure, and policy that might lead to realizing goals for improved learning. Request or Affirmation of Interest: House Committee on Education and Labor Hon. Augustus F. Hawkins, Chairman Hon. James M. Jeffords, Ranking Republican Member Hon. Pat Williams, Chairman, Subcommittee on Select Education Project Director: Linda Roberts, 226-2166 Projected Delivery Date to TAB: February 1988 SPECIAL RESPONSES COMPARISON OF U.S. AND SOVIET MILITARY TECHNOLOGIES (Special Report) -(Requested by: House Committee on Armed Services) Project Director: Peter Lert, 226-2015 Projected Completion Date: January 1987 PHYSICIAN PAYMENT REVIEW COMMISSION ACTIVITIES (Mandated by Public Law 99-272.) Project Director: Clyde Behney, 226-2070 Projected Completion Date: Indeterminate
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49 PROSPECTIVE PAYMENT ASSESSMENT COMMISSION (Mandated by Public Law 98-21, Section 601.) Project Director: Anne Burns, 6-2070 Projected Completion Date: Indeterminate NURSE PRACTITIONERS, CERTIFIED NURSE MIDWIVES, AND PHYSICIANS ASSISTANTS: QUALITY, ACCESS, ECONOMIC, AND PAYMENT ISSUES (Case Study) --(Requested by: Senate Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Mark Hatfield, Chairman; Hon. Daniel K. Inouye.) Project Director: Gloria Ruby, 6-2070 Projected Completion Date: November 1986 MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR CHILDREN (Background Paper) --(Requested by: Senate Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Mark Hatfield, Chairman; Hon. Daniel Inouye.) Project Director: Denise Dougherty, 6-2070 Projected Completion Date: In press CARCINOGEN REGULATORY POLICY (Technical Memorandum) --(Requested by: House Committee on Government Operations, Hon. Jack Brooks, Chairman, and Chairman Weiss, Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations and Human Resources) Project Director: Karl Kronebusch, 6-2070 Projected Completion Date: December 1986 REVIEW OF DEFENSE DEPARTMENT'S POLYGRAPH TEST AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS (Staff Paper) (Requested by: House Committee on Government Operations, Hon. Jack Brooks) Project Director: Denise Dougherty, 6-2070 Projected Completion Date: November 1986 HEALTH STATUS OF NATIVE HAWAIIANS (Staff Paper) (Requested by: Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs) Project Director: Larry Miike, 6-2070 Projected Completion Date: November 1986 GEOGRAPHIC VARIATIONS IN MEDICAL PROCEDURES (Staff Paper) (Requested by: House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health and the Environment) Project Director: Anne Burns, 6-2070 Projected Completion Date: December 1986 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE R&D/MACHINE TRANSLATION OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION (Background Paper) --(Requested by: House Committee on Science and Technology, Hon. Don Fuqua, Chairman, and Hon. Manuel Lujan, Ranking Minority Member) Project Director: Fred Weingarten Projected Completion Date: November 1986
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50 -THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF STANDARDIZED TESTS AS MEASUREMENT TOOLS FOR FEDERAL EDUCATION POLICY (Technical Memorandum) --(Requested by: Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, Hon. Orrin G. Hatch, Chairman, Hon. Edward Kennedy, Ranking Minority Member.) Project Director: Nancy Naismith, 6-2-214 Projected Completion Date: December 1986
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51 II. E. New Assessments Approved During the Quarter Full Assessments 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Technologies to Restore U.S. Market Share (9/23/86) Seismic Verification of Nuclear Test Ban Treaties (9/23/86) Technologyand Public Policy to Enhance GrainQuality in International Trade (9/23/86) Nontraditional Methods of Cancer Treatment: Science and Policy Issues (9/23/86) Assessing the Quality of Medical Care (9/23/86) Diagnostic Medical Tests: Impact on Public and Private Policies Toward Health Care (9/23/86) Mapping the Human Genome (9/23/86) Communications Systems for Information Age (9/23/86) New Clean Air Act (9/23/86) Educational Technology: An Assessment of Practice and Potential (7/29/86) -----~------------~---~-----
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OTA REPORT BRIEF September 1986 Technologies for Prehistoric and Historic Preservation The United States is losing important parts of its cultural heritage at an alarming rate. Preserving America's prehistoric and historic sites contributes to our qual ity of life, and that of future generations, by increas ing our understanding of U.S. history. It also provides economic benefi_ts such as jobs and increased tourism. To carry out their legal responsibilities for preserv ing these important historical resources, Federal agen cies must have cost-effective methods for studying and protecting them. Modem technologies may. provide cost-effective methods to help stem the loss of these irreplaceable resources, especially if technologies de veloped in other fields can be transferred to preserva tion. The lack of adequate technology transfer dem onstrates a conspicuous need for an institution to coordinate research; disseminate information, and pro vide training about new technologies. Congress could establish: a Federal Center for Preservation Technology within the Department o.f the Interior or some other agency; a National Center for Preservation Technology managed by a consortium of universities; or a Preservation Technology Board composed of professionals from all parts of the preservation community, to provide guidance for a Center. The stewardship of prehistoric and historic cultural resources has not received sufficient attention within the Department of the Interior and other Federal agen cies. Congress could consider altering the institutional structure of Federal preservation efforts by: establishing a separate agency to.manage all Fed eral cultural programs; creating an independent agency devoted to the care and protection of prehistoric and historic cul-tural resources; reorganizing the Department of the Interior to provide for an Assistant Secretary for Natural and Cultural Resources; or leaving the current Federal preservation structure intact. Even if the structure were left intact, Federal agen cies could still improve their efforts by developing sus tained, organized maintenance programs for historic Federal properties; improving coordination and infor mation sharing among agencies; and focusing on using new, efficient technologies. Some foreign countries have been using advanced technologies for preservation longer than the United States, In some cases their technologies represent sig nificant advances over U.S. practices. Foreign experi ences with preservation techniques, methods, and equipment should be examined closely for possible transfer to U.S. applications. Preserving Historic: Struc:tures.-Tax incentives now available for rehabilitating qualified historic buildings demonstrate the success of the public-private sector partnership in historic preservation~ Their continued availability would assist the retention of many more of America's historic structures. Landscapes Preservation. -Significant prehistoric and historic landscapes continue to be lost because they are not recognized as important to U.S. history. Passage and implementation of the Olmsted Heritage Landscapes Act of 1985 (H.R. 37) could aid the col lection of information on all U.S. historic designed landscapes. It could also enhance public awareness of other significant prehistoric: and historic landscapes. Shipwrecks Preservation. -Historic shipwrecks in coastal waters, receive very little protection from cur rent Admiralty Laws. Yet they contain a wealth of important information concerning the exploration and settlement of this country. Passage and implementa tion of the proposed Abandoned Shipwrecks Act (H.R. 3558/S. 2569) would make it possible to preserve sig nificant historic shipwrecks for future generations by ceding their jurisdiction, ownership, and oversight to the States. Stemming Looting and Vandalism.-Both are seri ous threats to prehistoric and historic cultural re sources. Advanced monitoring devices may aid the law enforcement process, but the United States also needs to improve enforcement of policies dealing with illicit excavation and trafficking in stolen artifacts. Congress could consider amending the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 and other statutes to permit private registration of antiquities obtained in super vised archaeological excavations on private land. Copies of the OT A report. "Technologies for Prehistoric and Historic Preseroation, "are available from the U.S. Gov ernment Printing Office. The GPO stock number is 052-00301051-8; the price is $10.00. Copies of the report for congressional use are available by calling 4-8996. Summaries of reports are available at no charge from the Office of Tech nology Assessment. The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an analytical arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC 20510-8025. Phone: 202/224-9241. John H. Gibbons, Director.
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OTA REPORT BRIEF ; September 1986 Technologies for Detecting Heritable Mutations in Human Beings Of the known or suspected effects of exposures to chemical and physical agents in the environment-cancer, birth defects, and mutations-heritable mutations are the most poorly understood and the most lasting, affecting not just individuals, but also their descendants. Congress singled out the risk-of mutations in the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA) and again in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA. or "Superfund"). These laws, and numerous others that encompass health effects broadly, require that the public be protected from exposures that can cause mu tations. Yet current methods are entirely inadequate to determine whether exposures to environmental chemicals and radiation are important influences on the frequency of heritable mutations in the population. Experiments with animals have shown that some substances in agricultural, industrial, and pharmaceu tical chemicals in use today cause heritable mutations in some lower animals. In human beings, however, specific causes of heritable mutations are unknown; there is no direct evidence that radiation or chemicals have induced mutations in human germ cells. The ob servable effects of mutations encompass a broad range of conditions, e.g., embryonic, fetal, and neonatal deaths; severe physical and mental disabilities; and in creases in susceptibility to common, chronic diseases. OTA examined innovative, developing technologies for detecting and measuring new heritable mutations in human beings. Because most of these technologies involve examining the DNA directly (see over), they represent a greater degree of sophistication and poten tially a major advance. Currently available techniques use more indirect approaches that rely on the clinical manifestation of disease, major chang~s in chromo some number or structure, or biochemical changes in certain blood proteins, none of which offers specific information about the variety of mutations that can occur, their frequency, or their causes. The emerging technologies may provide reasonable and verifiable ways of detecting new mutations in hu man DNA and proteins, but they are not yet efficient or accurate enough to justify use on a large scale. With continued support, some of the new technologies de scribed in this report, or derivatives of them, could be available in the next 5 to 10 years for large-scale use. Their ultimate application in epidemiologic studies to determine rates and patterns of mutations will be complex, requiring the collaboration of a large num ber of scientists. Collection of the necessary informa tion about background mutation rates and rates in high-risk populations would require special funding mechanisms and commitment of a large amount of money over a period of years. Without the development of these technologies; the Federal Government will continue to lack the infor mation to frame rational laws and regulations to pro tect people from mutagens. It will also lack the tools to adequately evaluate risks from occupational and environmental exposures. Continuing to rely on inade quate knowledge about the causes and effects of mu tations could result in poorly-informed decisions about acceptable levels of exposure and the level of resources needed to provide protection from such exposures. Policy options in this assessment include congres sional actions and priorities that could influence the pace and direction of research toward: 1) solving tech nical problems, 2) improving the quality and efficiency of preliminary validity testing and field trials of the methods, and 3) encouraging the integration of ani mal and human studies directed at identifying the mechanisms of mutagenesis and the relationships be tween mutagenic potencies in animals and in human beings. Copies of the OT A report, "Technologies for Detecting Heritable Mutations in Human Beings," are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. The GPO stock num ber is 052-003-01037-2; the price is $8.00. Copies of the report for congressional use are available by calling 4-8996. Summaries of reports are available at no charge from the Office of Technology Assessment. (over) The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an analytical arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC 20510-2085. Phone: 202/224-9241. John H. Gibbons, Director.
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Organizational Hierarchy of DNA, the Carrier of Genetic Information in Human Cells A G CT AAA CGC GAC CGA -ACGAAAATCCGCGCTTCAGATACCTTA-;:: : : : =: : : : ; Nucleotides Adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine, the basic building blocks of ONA. Nucleotides arrano eel In a triplet code, eacl'I corresponding to an amino acid (components of pro teins) or to a regulatory signal. Functional units of ONA needed to syn thesize proteins or regulate cell func tion. Ct11'0moeome Thousands of genes arranged in a linear sequence, consist ing of a complex of ONA and proteins. The complete set of genetic information; eacl'I human repro ductive cell.contains 23 cl'lromosomes, and all other cells in the body contain a full set of 48 chromosomes. Current and New Methods for Detecting Human Heritable Mutations Indicators of mutation Method of detection Cunwnt methods: Sporadic genetic disease Numerical or structural chromosome abnormalities Variant blood proteins New emerging methods: Altered DNA sequences Sentinel phenotypes Cytogenetic analysis 1 D-electrophoresis Quantitative enzyme analysis 20-electrophoresis DNA sequencing Restriction fragment length polymorphisms 10-denaturlng gel electrophoresis 20-denaturing gel electrophoresis Ribonuclease cleavage Subtractive hybridization Pulsed field gel electrophoresis SOURCE: Office of Technology Ae""'"8flt.
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OTA REPORT BRIEF September 1986 Serious Reduction of Hazardous v\/ aste Waste reduction is an economically sensible re sponse to what many people see as a hazardous waste crisis. Several thousand pounds of hazardous waste are generated annually for every person in the Nation. Many thousands of people have lost their drinking water because of contamination by toxic waste. Across the country there are thousands of sites contaminated by hazardous waste that require billions of dollars for cleanup. An increasing number of lawsuits are being brought by people who claim -to have suffered adverse health effects from living near toxic waste sites. Also the number of lawsuits being instituted by the gov ernment is mounting rapidly. These suits claim that certain waste generators have not complied with reg ulations and that generators who have used waste management facilities now on the Superfund list must pay for cleanups. Waste reduction is critical to the prevention of fu hire hazardous waste problems. By reducing the gen eration of waste, industry can use materials more effi ciently and achieve more certain protection for health and the environment. At the same time, industry can lower waste management and regulatory compliance costs, liabilities, and risks. Although there are many environmental and eco nomic benefits to waste reduction, over 99 percent of Federal and State environmental spending is devoted to controlling pollution after waste is generated. Less than 1 percent is spent to reduce the generation of waste. The current level of national spending for pol lution control is about $70 billion. Two-thirds of this is spent by industry. Since many hazardous substances are not yet regulated, annual expenditures will, in all likelihood, continue to increase. OT A finds that reducing waste to prevent pollution from being generated at its source is now a practical way to complement this costly pollution control reg ulatory system. Because of sporadic and uneven en forcement, the current regulatory system weakens the incentive to reduce waste. Waste reduction, no mat ter how far it is taken, cannot eliminate all wastes, but it can help to lower costs for environmental protec tion as regulations continue to expand. Current pollution control methods often do little more than move waste around. For example: air and water pollution control devices typically generate solid, hazardous waste that goes to landfills and too often leaches from there into groundwater. Many haz ardous wastes, such as most toxic air emissions, are not yet regulated, and regulatory standards for per missible emissions legally sanction the generation of some wastes. Thus, OTA ffnds that establishing a comprehensive, multimedia approach to reducing wastes going into the air, land, and water is essential. OTA finds that there is no common definition of waste reduction; there are few or no data on the ex tent of industrial waste reduction; waste reduction is usually measured incorrectly; and the information that the government collects on waste generation is not useful for waste reduction. If waste reduction is defined to include waste treatment, companies will naturally pay more attention to treatment, which is a familiar activity, than to the reduction of waste. Problems of definition and lack of information should be addressed and ongoing waste reduction efforts should be documented by government, even if decisions to reduce waste remain at the discretion of individual companies. Despite some claims to the contrary, industry has not taken advantage of all effective waste reduction opportunities that are available. Reducing waste in volves more than buying a black box, reading the directions, and plugging it in. Even a simple step toward waste reduction can seem difficult to a company with few technical resources and no obvious place to go for guidance. Reducing waste in an indus trial process requires intim,ate knowledge of all aspects of that specific production process, in contrast to waste treatment, which is essentially an add-on to the end of the process. There are also clear pressures to reduce waste tomorrow, rather than today. The attention and resources given to required pollution control activi ties limit the amount of thought, time, and money that industry can devote to waste reduction. Some U.S. companies, however, have verified the fact that waste reduction pays for itself relatively quickly, especially when compared to the time needed to comply with reg;. ulations, obtain tegulatory permits, or site waste man agement facilities. Some companies are even beginning to sell new products and services that help others to reduce waste. Waste reduction succeeds when it is part of the everyday consciousness of all workers and managers involved with production-where the waste reduction opportunities are-rather than when it is a job only of those responsible for complying with environmental regulations. A few people with end-of-pipe, pollution control jobs are not in a position to reduce waste by themselves; such efforts must involve upstream work ers and facilities. (over) The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an analytical arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC 20510-2085. Phone: 202/224-9241. John H. Gibbons, Director.
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There are five distinct approaches that industry can take to reduce hazardous waste: 1) change the raw ma terials of production, 2) change production technol ogy and equipment, 3) improve production operations and procedures, -!) recycle waste within the plant. and 5) redesign or reformulate end-products. Among the opportunities that exist for common processes and wastes are: a) using mechanical techniques rather than toxic organic solvents to clean metal surfaces, b) using water-based raw materials instead of materials based on organic solvents, and c) changing plant practices to generate less hazardous wastewater. So far government has not required waste reduction. OT A finds that it would be extraordinarily difficult for government to set and en.force waste reduction standards for a myriad of industrial processes. The im pact on industry, particularly on troubled manufac turing sectors, could be substantial. Alternatively, the United States could move to an economically sensible environmental protection strategy based on both pol lution control (waste management) and pollution prevention (waste reduction) with the Federal Govern ment providing leadership and assistance in the fol lowing ways. First, through policy development, education, and oversight, Congress could help industry and the Nation profit from seeing waste reduction not as some unique technology, but as a field ready for innovative engineering and management. These opportunities are embedded in every part of the industrial produc-Definitions Used in This Report Waste Reduction: In-plant practices that reduce, avoid, or eliminate the generation of hazardous waste so as to reduce risks to health and environment. Actions taken away from the waste generating activity, including waste recycl ing or treatment of wastes after they are generated, are not considered waste reduction. Also, an action that merely concentrates the hazardous content of a waste to reduce waste volume or dilutes it to reduce degree of hazard is not considered waste reduction. This definition is meant to be consistent with the goal of preventing the generation of waste at its source rather than controlling, treating, or managing waste after its generation. Hazardous Waste: All nonproduct hazardous outputs from an industrial operation into all environmental media, even though they may be within permitted or licensed limits. This is much broader than the legal definition of hazard ous solid waste in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, its amendments. and subsequent regula tions. Hazardous refers to harm to human health or the environment and is broader than the term "toxic." For example, wastes that are hazardous because of their corrosivity, flamability, explosiveness, or infec tiousness are not normally considered toxic. Waste Reduction and National Policy "The Congress hereby declares it to be the national policy of the United States that, wherever feasible, the generation of hazardous waste is to be reduced or elim inated as expeditiously as possible. Waste nevertheless generated shouki .be treated. stored, or disposed of so as to minimize the present and future threat to human health and the environment." From the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended by U.S. Congress in November 1984. This policy statement is supported by waste minimization provisions also added to the Act. tion system. There is no way to predetermine the amount of waste reduction that is possible; its techni cal and economic feasibility depend on the character istics, circumstances, and goals of specific waste gener ators. Success in reducing waste depends on the ability of organizations to modernize, innovate, and cut costs, thereby increasing profits and reducing long-term lia bilities. Thus waste reduction could be used as a meas ure of performance as energy efficiency and produc tivity often are. Second, there are a number of possible legislative actions that could clarify the definition of waste re duction, spur better collection of inf onnation on waste reduction, and encourage waste generators to devote more attention to the subject. If the Federal public pol icy goal is rapid and comprehensive hazardous waste reduction, then a strategy based on government leader ship and assistance rather than on prescriptive require ments is likely to be the most effective. For example, Congress could: 1) create an Office of Waste Reduc tion with an Assistant Administrator within EPA. 2) create a grants program to develop generic or widely transferable technical support for waste reduction, 3) through new comprehensive waste reduction legisla tion require detailed reporting by industry on past waste reduction actions and plans for future efforts, 4) reward and facilitate waste reduction by offering industry concessions from existing pollution control regulatory requirements, or 5) create and use inde pendent State Waste Reduction Boards to implement programs. Setting a national waste reduction goal of perhaps 10 percent annually could help convert the long stated importance of waste reduction into a true priority and reduce annual environmental spending substantially, ultimately by billions of dollars. Copies of tlze OT A report, "Serious Reduction of Haz ardous Waste: For Pollution Prevention and Jndustri;l Effi ciency," are available from the U.S. Government Printi~g Office. The GPO stock number is 052-003-01048-8; the price is $12.00. Copies of the report for congressional use are avail able by calling 4-8996. Summaries of reports are available at no charge from the Office of Technology Assessment.
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OTA REPORT BRIEF September 1986 Plant Closing: Advance Notice and Rapid Response Hundreds of thousands of American workers lose their jobs every year as a result of plarit closings and major permanent layoffs. With increasing competition and restructuring of U.S. industry these job losses are occurring in good times aswell as bad The majority of affected workers get little or no advance notice that their jobs are ending. Even when they do get notice, the chances are small that an effective program of reemployment and retraining services will be ready for them when they need it most-the day after layoff. According to a. recent survey by the General Ac counting Office, most establishments of over 100 em ployees give some kind of notice of plant closings or permanent mass layoffs; but this may amount only to a general announcement of an expected work force reduction, without specific notice to individuals that their jobs willbe lost. For example, 30 percent of larger establishments give no individual advance notice to blue-collar workers, and another 34 percent give 2 weeks or less. White-collar workers get an average of 2 weeks' notice and blue-collar workers 1 week. Es tablishments with unions give blue-collar workers 2 weeks' notice; without unions, it is 2 days. These notice periods are too brief to allow time for preparing good, comprehensive adjustment services for the displaced workers. In some cases, a worthwhile emergency effort can be mounted in only a few weeks, but some important services will not be ready at the time of layoffs, when demands peak for help in find ing or training for a new job. OT A found wide agreement among business, gov ernment, community, and labor leaders on several key benefits of advance notice. Besides allowing time to prepare reemployment and retraining services, ad vance notice makes it easier to enlist the participation of labor and management and to let workers know that help is available. It also gives workers a chance to come to terms with the job loss and think about their options. For companies, advance notice offers the ben efits of better morale among workers who remain, and a reputation of fair dealing in the community. Most employers, including those who provide no tice voluntarily, strongly oppose requiring it by law. They believe that good adjustment programs are more important than advance notice and that government requirements would be inflexible and expensive. They argue that notice can lead to loss of customers, credit, and key employees, and that the costs would be great est for small business. Although a law could exempt small business, it is not dear where to draw the line defining "small." The fear ot lowered worker morale as a result of advance notice seems to have little ba~ sis; most experienced people, including employers, re port that productivity, quality, and safety records have actually improved during the notice period. OTA found that, while many of the arguments about costs of advance notice are credible, it is more difficult to find evidence of the costs than evidence of the benefits. Moreover, some of the costs may be con~ fined to special cases, while the benefits apply more widely. Much of the benefit of notice depends, how ever, on the ability to provide good services promptly to affected workers. This ability is mostly lacking in the United States. Employers provide some assistance for their .dis placed workers, but it is usually fragmentary, and blue-collar workers receive less help from employers than white-collar workers. The major government pro gram to assist displaced workers-Title III of theJob Training Partnership Act-is new. States, which are responsible for implementing the program, have not yet developed the ability to respond rapidly and ef fectively to announcements of plant closings and mass layoffs. Delays of several months in funding worker adjustment projects are common, and few States have trained staff who can deliver. technical assistance to plants that are dosing. Many States are working to improve their rapid response programs, and the U.S. Department of Labor and National Governors' Associ ation are planning cooperative demonstration projects. Bills to require advance notice have been introduced in every Congress since 1973, but none has passed. A few States and localities have notice laws on the books. Opinions on requiring advance notice are strongly polarized with business representatives opposed and labor in favor. They do agree, however, that prompt, effective responses should be emphasized, developed, and funded. Copies of the OT A report, "Plant Closing: Advance Notice and Rapid Response." are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. T1ze GPO stock m,mber is 0S2-00301052 the price is 53.2S. Copies of the report for congres sional use are available by calling 4-8996. The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an analytical arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC 20510-2085. Phone: 202/224-9241. John H. Gibbons, Director.
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: OTA REPORT BRIEF September 1986 I Technology, Trade, and the U.S. Residential Construction Industry Recent innovations in the residential construction industry have the potential to transform both the qual ity of the American home and homebuilding tech niques. New building materials and designs can lead to more comfortable houses with lower operation and maintenance costs. Factory-based production systems, which replace many of the tasks formerly done at the construction site, can reduce overall costs. Computers can help homebuyers to design housing that matches their unique tastes and needs. The factory con~truc tion process. can offer greater continuity of employ ment and can raise workers' skill levels .. However, the U.S. residential construction indus try has not yet realized the full potential of these new technologies, for three principal reasons: 1. An antiquated regulatory apparatus retards the spread of innovations that are developed. 2. The highly fragmented industry has difficulty as. sembling adequate funding for research. 3. Enormous fluctuations in home sales add risk to large-scale investment in capital equipment. As a result, the productivity of the home construc tion industry is growing slower than that of many other manufacturing enterprises. Although statistics are confusing, it appears that 10 to 35 percent of all new U.S .. single-family homes had most of their assembly in factories-35 to SO percent if "manufactured" (mobile) homes are included. "Factory-based construction" includes a range of hous ing products from components like prehung windows and doors, to wall segments, to three-dimensional sec tions of modular houses. Factory-based construction is less sophisticated in the United States than in several other countries. As a result, foreign firms have begun to penetrate Amer ican market:, for homes and housing.;,related products -notably appliances-while U.S. exports in these cat egories have stagnated. Foreign companies, led by those from Sweden and Japan, benefit from highly automated factories, significant investments in re search, and favorable regulation and support from their governments. Although imports of complete home units may not expand significantly, foreign tech nologies could be adopted by U.S. producers through agreements with foreign.producers or purchases of pro duction equipment. As American home building grows from a local en terprise to one with regional, national, and interna tional concerns, it could soon resemble other domes tic manufacturing industries. Congress may need to consider whether housing industry policies should operate like those that influence other types of factory production. Cummt U.S. housing policies-incentives, subsidies, research, code-making, and inspection-are fragmented. The present regulatory system, created be fore the growth of factory production, consists of thousands of State and local codes and code variations; even when codes are similar, inspection systems dif fer. Producers must also monitor the constant code changes that are made in each jurisdiction. As a re sult, large builders find it difficult to market a protj uct in several different areas. Such confusing regula tions deter expansion and impede America's ability to compete against aggressive and sophisticated overseas builders. The present regulatory system could be modified in a variety of ways: expanding and strengthening na tional housing regulation, which is now limited to "manufactured housing" (mobile homes); coordinat ing State regulatory operations by encouraging uni form code acceptance and reciprocity in inspections of factory-produced homes and components; or intro ducing "private responsibility" systems. Also, the Fed eral Government could encourage or sponsor greater research efforts tied to the needs of the housing indus try (see ba~k for more details). Other models for regulatory reform have been pro posed. For example, the National Association of Home Builders and other major code-making organizations recommend that a uniform national code be developed through interstate agreements. In an interesting par allel, U.S. appliance manufacturers have recently asked Congress to facilitate industry expansion and competitiveness by replacing a complex set of State regulations with uniform national regulations. Copies of the OTA special report, "Technology. Trade. and the U. 5. Residential Construction Industry. are m:ail able from the U.S. Government Printing Office. The GPO stock number is 052-003-01050-0; the price is $4. 75. Copies of the report for congressional use are available by calling 4-8996. (over) The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an analytical arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC 20510-2085. Phone: 202/224-9241. John H. Gibbons, Director.
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Summary of Principal Policy Alternatives for Residential Construction 1. The fragmented system of housing regulation and its enforcement could be made more uniform in several ;,..,ays: The Federal Government could: -Modify or expand the existing national HUD code system for regulating the production of "manufactured" (mobile) homes. -Implement systems of incentives to encourage States, counties, and municipalities to bring their codes in line with a single, national code system. -Support voluntary systems which would allow manufacturers to select between Federal, State, or local regulations. The States could: -Support multi-State compacts that would establish one or more congressionally approved regulatory systems among States. -Cooperate based on their respective market needs. -Establish a system that depends on reciprocity and the adoption of a uniform national building code. One or more private sector organizations could: Test and inspect the design and production of factory-built homes. Take legal responsibility for advice and approvals. 2. Labels that provide information about the quality of structures could bring about market-based technical improvements by educating consumers as is done with miles-per-gallon stickers on automobiles or energy efficiency labels on refrigerators. 3. Greater government support of research in building technology could improve housing quality, lower con struction and operating costs, and help the United States to compete in a rapidly expanding world market. 4. A countercyclical stimulus to the housing industry could reduce excessive fluctuations in demand.
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OTA REPORT BRIEF September 1986 Trade in Services: Exports and Foreign Revenues Trade in services contributed a surplus of $51 billion1 to the U.S. balance of payments over the years 1982 to 1984, three times the official Federal Govern ment figure. The official data reported by the Bureau of Eco nomic Analysis (BEA) in the Department of Commerce reflect underreporting of both exports and imports of services. As much as half of U.S. service exports may escape the official statistics. Some data are simply not coUected; other causes of errors range from low rates of response on voluntary surveys to data categories that are conceptually flawed or outdated, Case-by-case estimates for 22 service industries (see list on back) put U.S. exports of services (excluding banking) at $67 to $84 billion in 1983 and $69 to $91 billion in 1984. Sales of services by the overseas affili ates of U.S. firms-i.e., by foreign firms under Amer ican ownership-have been greater than direct U.S. exports of services. Affiliate sales reached $87 to $97 billion in 1983 (the latest year for which data are available). Trade and lnvestment.~The fact that affiliate sales exceed exports shows the importance of foreign direct investment for many American service companies. In some industries, almost all foreign revenues (i.e., the total of exports and affiliate sales) come from sales by affiliates. Examples include accounting and advertis ing. Other industries-e.g., education, travel services -get almost all their foreign revenues through exports. Most foreign affiliates are staffed by local people and purchase in local markets; they may have little if any relation to economic activities within the United States. Given the nature of the service industries, such patterns will not change dramatically in the future, de spite cheaper and more reliable international commu nications. Affiliate sales should not be confused with exports of services from the United States, which ben efit the Nation's economy directly-e.g., through job creation. Improving the Data.-Although the responsible Federal agencies have been working toward better pro cedures for collecting data on trade and investment in the services, progress has bttn slow, impeded by con-'According to the midrange of OT A's estimates and excluding banking see chart on back. cerns over added costs to both business and govern ment. Nonetheless, substantial improvements should be possible at little or no additional cost. The OTA special report lists 10 possible steps for enhancing the accuracy and usefulness of services trade data, includ ing new BEA surveys and greater use of information collected in the private sector. Many of the gaps, conceptual flaws, and uncertainties in the data are carryovers from an era when man ufacturing and agriculture overshadowed the service sector. Today, more than 70 percent of Americans work in service industries. Linkages between the serv ices and manufacturing are growing tighter as a result of new technologies in digital computing and commu nications systems. Linkages between overseas sales of goods and services, already strong, will strengthen still further as American companies seek new international business strategies, approaching their markets m global rather than national terms. Given the rapid changes taking place in the U.S. and world economies, policy makers and trade negotiators need the benefits of bet ter analytical understanding, beginning with a better database. Trade Negotiations;-At the next round of multilat eral trade negotiations, services will be a major topic for discussion, largely at the instigation of the United States. Better statistics on trade and investment in the services could help U.S. representatives define objec tives and develop effective negotiating strategies, pro viding vital support for U.S. negotiators during the middle and later stages of the upcoming trade round, as well as in future bilateral and multilateral talks. OTA has prepared this. special report as part of a more comprehensive assessment. The full report In ternational Competition in the Service Industries, to be published early in 1987, will examine: services trade in the world economy, and linkages between the services and manufacturing; competitive dynamics in international banking, engineering and construction services, technical licensing, and telecommunications, data processing, information services, and computer software; U.S. employment in service industries; and U.S. and foreign government policies toward services and the new round of multilateral trade negotiations. (over) The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an analytical arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC 20S10-208S. Phone: 202/224-9241. John H. Gibbons, Director.
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The figure below from the special report shows OT A and BEA estimates of the U.S. balance of payments surplus in services. U.S. Balance of Payments Surplus in Services, 1982 e .! 0 ,:, 0
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OTA REPORT BRIEF August 1986 Ocean Incineration: Few hazardous waste management practices have generated as much controversy and polarization as ocean incineration-burning hazardous wastes in in cinerators mounted on ocean-going vessels. While pro ponents advocate ocean incineration as a needed alter native to land-based disposal practices, critics contend it will only ship our problems out to sea. Debate over ocean incineration centers on sever3:l questions: Given the alternatives, are risks to humans and the environment acceptable? Are regulations adequate and responsive to public concerns? Can waste generators and handlers be held liable for damages? Will use of ocean inciner ation slow the introduction of preferred practices? These and other concerns have led the United States to temporarily halt the use of ocean incineration. As a result, the Nation must decide whether to proceed with an ocean incineration program and, if so, how. What are the capabilities and limitations of ocean incineration? In contrast to land-based disposal prac tices, incineration can destroy more than 99 percent of certain hazardous wastes, largely breaking them down into less harmful or more easily managed sub stances (primarily water vapor and carbon dioxide). Metals from the waste and small quantities of unde stroyed waste that are also released may be harmful, however, and must be stringently controlled. Burning chlorinated wastes generates an additional product, toxic hydrogen chloride gas. To prevent hu man exposure to this gas, land-based incinerators must neutralize it using a difficult "scrubbing" process which itself generates hazardous waste. Ocean incineration, which would occur far from humans, would use sea water's natural ability to neutralize the gas. Land-based incineration's primary risk is to humans, through exposure to routine emissions. In contrast, ocean incineration's primary risk is to marine waters, from an accidential spill which would be difficult or impossible to clean up. Its major risk to humans would probably arise from land, not marine, transportation. Up to 20 percent of the 250 million metric tons of hazardous waste generated annually in the United States could, in principle, be incinerated. Organic liquids-up to 10 percent of hazardous wastes-could be incinerated at sea. These are among the most toxic and concentrated of hazardous wastes. Today, as much as two-thirds of these liquid wastes is disposed of on land or used as fuel in boilers and furnaces. Only small amounts are now incinerated, all on land. Its Role in Managing Hazardous Waste OT A finds that ocean incineration could be an at tractive, though not essential, interim option for man aging certain liquid wastes, in particular those that are highly chlorinated. Ocean incineration would be nei ther a panacea nor an obstacle to solving the Nation's hazardous waste problems. Several options like ocean incineration will be needed to bridge the gap between. hazardous waste disposal practices of the past (such as landfilling), which are being abandoned, and pre ferred practices of the future (such as waste reduction), whose capacity is only now developing. Time will be required to implement such preferred practices and they may not be applicable to all wastes. OTA's analysis of the capabilities and limitations of ocean incineration cannot answer many of the ques tions raised in the debate. Nor does it resolve the fun damental choice of whether to develop some kind of program. Given the wide disparity of viewpoints, dif ficult policy decisions will be required. Although the choice has generally been viewed in all-or-nothing terms, OTA's analysis suggests intermediate alterna tives that warrant consideration. Four policy options that cover a range of approaches are evaluated: 1) per manently halt ocean incineration and rely entirely on land-based options; 2) temporarily halt commercial ocean incineration pending more research; 3) proceed with commercial ocean incineration under the pro posed regulatory framework; and 4) proceed with a modified program that confers an interim status to the activity and addresses legitimate deficiencies and concerns. Ocean incineration should have only limited effects on overall incentives for shifting to use of preferred management practices. To ensure that this shift is not impeded, however, any ocean incineration program should be structured to be interim. Several approaches might be used to control a program's scale and dura tion and ensure that use of ocean incineration is sup planted by better technologies as they develop. Finally, if a program were developed, several issues -for example, regulating hazardous waste transpor tation and incinerator emissions-would need resolu tion in order to conduct ocean incineration in as ~afe and environmentally sound a manner as possible. Copies of the OT A report, "Ocean Incineration: Its Role in Managing Hazardous Waste," are available from the U.S. Got1ernment Printing Office. The GPO stock number is 052 003-01046-1; the price is $11.00. Copies of the report for congressional use are at1ailable by calling 4-9241. Summaries of reports are available at no charge from the Office of Tech nology Assessment. The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an analytical arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC 20510-8025. Phone: 202/224-9241. John H. Gibbons, Director.
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OTA REPORT BRIEF August 1986 Continuing the Commitment: Agricultural Development in the Sahel The United States made a "contract for a genera tion" in 1976 when it joined with the nations of West Africa and other major donors to provide both im mediate relief and long-term development assistance to the Sahel-hard hit by 5 years of drought and fam ine (see map). Over the past decade, the United States spent approximately $1 .4 billion in the Sahel, formed a unique Sahel Development Program within the Agency fqr International Development (AID), and supported a coordinated international effort of donors and Sahelian recipients ( the Oub du Sahel and CI~S). Now, a decade later, the nine Sahelian countries continue to be among the poorest in the world. They lag behind most of Africa in child survival, life expect ancy, individual annual income, and per capita food production. At the same time, they face mounting debt, expanding populations, and degrading natural resources. However, continued U.S. assistance to the Sahel, modified on the basis of experience, could contribute significantly to greater food se<:Urity, sustained economic growth, and a restored environment. These modifications are underway, but further changes are necessary if Congress wishes to improve the program. In the 1970s, when tens of thousands of Sahelians were starving, donors such as AID implemented pro grams quickly, making certain assumptions that later proved faulty. For example, many assumed that tech nologies available in developed countries could in crease livestock and crop production substantially or that such technologies would be forthcoming rapidly. They ignored sound and productive African agricul tural technologies. Also, donors and some of their African counterparts did not understand environ mental conditions such as uncertain climate and di verse soils or appreciate the social and economic sys tems of farmers and herders. Consequently, many donors' development assistance projects failed, some times leaving the Sahelian people worse off than before. At the same time, Sahelians and donors learned val uable lessons, ones that are likely to lead to more suc cessful efforts in the future and ensure that past invest ments pay off. AID has been a leader in tailoring its work to do so. For example, the goals and methods of AID's crop breeding programs in Niger now focus more on drought tolerance and they are beginning to show positive results. Among these lessons are: Successful agricultural technologies are likely to be Sahel-specific, involve farmers and herders at all stages of development and use, be based largely on localized research, and focus on low resource producers, including women, who com prise the majority of Sahelian agriculturalists. Also, promising technologies are low cost, low risk, sustainable, and they must at least stabilize production while holding the possibility for sub. stantially increasing returns. Development assistance can be organized to in crease its positive impact by ensuring the partici pation of the intended beneficiaries, providing long-term aid, keeping projects simple, and mak ing agricultural research more appropriate to user's needs and local conditions. Successful agricultural development requires com patible economic policies in the Sahelian countries in such areas as grain pricing, investment priori ties, uses of food aid, fiscal reform, building in frastructure, and private sector incentives. Nevertheless, some critical policy areas remain un resolved: how to balance support for irrigated and rainfed agriculture and for food production and export crops; how to devise strategies for the livestock sector; the role of population programs; and poten tial trade-offs between higher agricultural production for some farmers and herders and equity for all. In par ticular, AID often has not found effective ways to include farmers and herders in its work nor given ade quate attention to the importance of women in Sa helian agriculture. AID faces constraints in resolving these issues that are similar worldwide but particularly acute in the Sahel: AID's internal characteristics (such as personnel qualifications, project design and implementation, and management structure) limit its ability to ex ploit what it has learned. The strained congressional-AID relationship wastes resources on both sides, hinders carrying out clear foreign policy, and has diminished the (over) The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an analytical arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC 20510-802S. Phone: 202/224-9241. John H. Gibbons, Director.
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cooperation that characterized the early days of the Sahel Development Program. Other U.S. organizations also are part of Sahel de velopment efforts. These include private voluntary organizations, the Peace Corps, the African Develop ment Foundation, other Federal agencies, universities and colleges, and the private sector ( though currently to a limited extent). All are contributing though their use of the decade's lessons varies. Africans and African institutions eventually must take over from AID and other donors. They are will ing but unable to do so now largely because of a lack of funds and trained personnel. These factors, plus the large technical challenge remaining, suggest that the U.S. commitment must continue in order to meet its original goals. A commitment to applying the lessons of the decade and the resolution of critical issues can best ensure that the United States fulfills its contract with this generation of Sahelians. Copies of the OT A special report, "Continuing the Commitment: Agricultural Development in the Sahel," are avail able from the U.S. Government Printing Office. The GPO stock number is 052-003-01043-7: the price is $8.50. Copies of the report for congressional use are available by calling 4-9241. The Sahelian Countries ~.... .. 1F'1'ala, f Cape Verde latanda AFRICA
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OTA REPORT BRIEF July 1986 Technologies for NA TO' s Follow-On Forces Attack Concept-A Special Report NATO's.new FOFA concept (Follow-Ori Forces At tack, or striking deep against enemy forces moving forward to join the battle) is part of an effort to deal with the growing imbalance between NATO and Warsaw Pact conventional forces in Europe. It would comple ment ongoing programs to modernize U.S. strategic nuclear forces, NATO theater nuclear forces, and NATO's conventional front line forces. The Novem ber 1984 adoption of the FOFA concept by NATO, with strong U.S. support, raises the question of how the U.S. military should e;ploit emerging technology to implement it, and poses the issue of relative priori ties of FOFA and other critical military objectives. OTA's special report, part of a more comprehensive effort at OT A, reviews both the operational concepts that underlie this initiative and the technical develop ments of interest, and then suggests some guidelines to follow in making procurement decisions. It is generally expected that if the nations of the Wax saw Pact were to attack Western Europe, their ground forces, attacking in successive coordinated waves, would seek to overwhelm NATO's defenses so rap-. idly that NA TO would not have time to escalate tc the use of theater nuclear weapons, as called for by NATO's strategy. NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) has underscored this concern by warning that "if war broke out today, it would only be a matter of days before I would have to tum to our political authorities and request the initial release of nuclear weapons." FOFA seeks to remedy this situa tion by impeding the ability of the Warsaw Pact to conduct an offensive. Delaying,_ disrupting, and de stroying these "follow-on forces" -particularly the army divisions with their large numbers of tanks and other armored vehicles-would take the pressure off NATO's defending ground forces making them better able to withstand the offensive, helping to offset the Warsaw Pact's advantages in men and tanks, and rais ing the nuclear threshold. Although NATO now has a limited ability to at tack follow-on forces, realizing. the full potential of the concept is usually linked to exploiting emerging tech nologies, particularly those that are approaching operational use and could appear in deployed systems over approximately the next decade. While the member nations have agreed to the gen eral FOFA concept, there is not yet agreement among them as to how to implement it, or.how much empha sis to give it. Consequently, the Alliance as a whole and the United States in particular are faced with sev eral important issues: Congress will be involved in defining and fund ing the U.S. effort, including the allocation of funding among many developmental and produc tion systems. In addition, Congress will face some serious for eign policy issues, including European concern over the "two-way street" for arms sales, and the implications of a concept that relies heavily on advanced technology in which the United States has a substantial lead. Developments of particular interest are those asso ciated with reconnaissance, surveillance, target acqui sition, data handling, weapon delivery and control, submunition homing, and destructive mechanisms. The underlying technologies that support many of these include: radar advances resulting in greatly im proved capabilities to find fixed and moving targets; improvements in data processors; small, inexpensive infrared and millimeter wave sensors that could be mounted in submunitions; and advanced mechanisms for penetrating armored vehicles and other hard targets. Congress and the services will have to choose among a large number of programs. The list of programs shown in table 1 ( on back), although not comprehen sive, is of particular interest. OTA has found that in choosing among these and others, the guidelines shown in table 2 (on back) are useful. Copies of the OT A special report. "Technologies for NATO's Follow-On Forces Attack Concept," are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. The GPO stock number is 052-003-01045-3: the pn'ce is 52.75. Copies of the report for congressional use are available by calling 4-9241. (over) The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an analytical arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC 20510. Phone: 202/224-9241. John H. Gibbons, Director.
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Table 1: Programs of Interest Reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, data fusion: The ASARS II synthetic aperture radar system The PLSS emitter location system The Joint STARS moving target radar and weapons control system The Joint Tactical Fusion program Various remotely piloted vehicle programs Weapon delivery systems: The multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) Development of procedures to strike deep with long range aircraft such as B-52 bombers The TACMS missile The F-15E aircraft The LANTIRN navigation and targeting system The AGM-130 missile Submunitions and dispensers, particularly smart antiarmor munitions such as Skeet, SADARM, and the TGW for MLRS. Table 2: Selection Guidelines System procurements ought to be tied to clearly defined operational concepts for attacking follow-on for1=es. Systems ought to be considered not individually, but as parts of com plete packages of systems to support operational concepts; failure to buy one or two could greatly reduce the value of investments in the others. Component systems will have to be procured in sufficient quantities to be able to attack enough follow-on forces to make a difference. Some systems will be "key systems," vital to one, and perhaps several. operational concepts. Some redundancy may be desirable for reducing overall vulnerability to disruption, but is likely to increase costs. Practice and training will be important for both commanders and operators.
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: OTA REPORT BRIEF July 1986 Transportation of Hazardous Materials Although Americans take for granted many of the comforts of modem life provided by the petroleum, chemical, nuclear, and transportation industries, the hazardous materials used and produced by these in dustries can wreak enormous health and environ mental damage if mishandled. The spectacular acci dents that do occur during transport of hazardous materials, while relatively infrequent, emphasize the harm that can be done. Fortunatttly, most hazardous materials are transported safely. Industry, being aware of the dangers of the products and its liability for damages, for the most part takes appropriate precau tions to preserve public and environmental safety. Over 1.5 billion tons of hazardous materials are transported annually by land1 sea, and air in the United States, more than half by trucks. Because trucks can travel anywhere there is a highway, unhindered by the need for a waterway, railbed, or airport, pub lic exposure to an accidental release of a hazardous material from truck transport is more likely than for water, rail, or air. Federal data on transportation patterns and acci dents is fragmented, incomplete, and not helpful to State and local officials, who need information on haz ardous materials production and transportation for planning and preparing for emergencies. Federal acci dent and spill recordkeeping are so uncoordinated that many accidents are not recorded. Damages from haz ardous materials transportation accidents appear to be at least 10 times higher than that reported by the De partment of Transportation. The basic Federal regulatory structure has been de veloped largely by industry over the last 100 years. There have been no far-reaching regulatory reforms and no strategic changes to cope with late 20th cen tury technologies and public concerns. Furthermore, the regulatory process for containers works against innovation in design, making the United States less com petitive in the international market. Shipments of hazardous materials are governed by extensive requirements codified in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The Department of Transpor tation (DOT), the Environmental Protection Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency all address hazardous materials problems. Federal programs that provide technical_ assistance to State and local governments are uncoordinated, and many find them insufficient and underfunded as well. Because State and local jurisdictions feel Federal regula tions do not provide adequate safety, they have passed additional regulations to control risks. The resulting regulatory patchwork complicates enforcement and training and is burdensome to industry. Human failure or lack of information and advance planning, rather than equipment or regulatory short comings, u.sually cause most accidents, injuries, or environmental damage. Indeed, over 60 percent of re ported vehicle accidents and hazardous materials spills are caused by human error. Four major policy issues require congressional con sideration to address some of these shortcomings and modernize the system: Training.* -Development of a national strategy to provide training for State and local emergency response and enforcement personnel. Key components-training guidelines, adequate funding, and comprehensive information on existing re sources. Federal/State Regulations. -Greater consistency in Federal, State, and local regulations and en forcement. Requiring that hazardous materials re leased during intrastate highway transport be re ported to the Federal Government. Coordination and cooperation between all levels of government in developing regulations. Public Information.* -Increased availability of information. Establishing national guidelines for community right-to-know legislation. Better co ordination of Federal data-collection activities. Federal assistance for State and local information gathering. Containers.* -Better Federal coordination in set ting container regulations, including those for spent nuclear fuel. Two areas for specific atten tion: technical requirements and operational and procedural practices. Problems that underlie these four issues are lack of clearly defined Federal and State roles and ineffective coordination to make Federal activities more accessible and cost-effective. The basic structure .to address these issues already exists, but lack of communication and integration among the different levels of govern ment diminishes effectiveness. Copies of the OTA report, "Transportation of Hazard ous Materials," are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. The GPO stock number is 052-003-01042-9; the price is $13. 00. Copies of the report for congressional use are available by calling 4-9241. Summaries of reports are available at no charge from the Office of Technology Assessment. For further information on these policy issues see the reverse side. The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an analytical arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington, DC 20510. Phone: 202/224-9241. John H. Gibbons, Dir.ector.
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Policy Issues Training.-Development of a national strategy to provide training for the Nation's estimated 1.5 million State and local emergency response and enforcement personnel is the primary unmet need. Training guide lines for different levels of response, adequate funding (particularly at the local level), and comprehen sive information on existing resources are necessary. Although many public and private training pro grams exist, they are not standardized and do not address the needs of personnel in small urban or rural areas where there is little familiarity with hazardous materials. A modest annual program of $1S to $20 million could supplement existing State, private, and local expenditures. Possible Federal funding sources include general tax revenue, the Superfund tax, the fuel tax, or a special fund derived from a user fee levied on industry. Training for enforcement is far better organized, but Federal budget constraints have reduced Federal enforcement below an effective level. Additional State and local enforcement officers must be trained to fill the gap and ensure that safety regulations are followed. Federal/State Regulations.-Greater consistency in Federal, State, and local regulations would improve enforcement and ease burdens on interstate carriers. Although regulating intrastate activities has tradi tionally been left to the States, a national truck driver's license, administered by the States, and Federal assessment of State hazardous materials laws to determine whether they are more or less stringent than Federal regulations would be useful first steps toward greater regulatory consistency. Federal assistance to States and local jurisdictions considering routing restrictions or other independent regulation of haz ardous materials could ensure that decisions take into account the needs of neighboring jurisdictions and provide a level of safety at least equivalent to Federal regulations. Requiring that hazardous materials released during intrastate highway transport be reported to Federal regulators would provide far more complete information on hazardous materials spills. Public Information.-Improved information about the transportation of hazardous materials, including shipments of spent nuclear fuel. would help State emergency planning and preparedness. National guide lines for community right-to-know legislation could bolster local information gathering. Improving coordination of Federal data-collection activities could help DOT set regulatory priorities and provide useful information for State and local planning. Locally conducted data collection, such as hazardous materials facilities inventories and transportation surveys, has value beyond the data it produces, as the concerned parties begin to work together. However, OTA finds that a comprehensive, real-time database on all hazardous materials shipments is neither feasible nor cost-effective. Containers.-Better Federal coordination in setting container regulations for rail, highway, water, and air is essential. The standards set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for spent fuel containers pro duce exceptionally durable containers, if the standards are meticulously followed during cask manufac ture and transportation. If these conditions are met, the containers provide a much greater degree of public protection than that afforded in any other current hazardous material shipping activity. State, local, and Indian tribe officials should be an integral part of decisionmaking by the Department of Energy about its shipments of highly radioactive materials under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. Two areas warrant specific attention: 1) technical requirements, such as changes in gasoline cargo tankers and design tests for spent fuel casks; and 2) operational and procedural practices, such as quality control and industry training. Accident data raise serious questions about the safety of transportation for two types of containersthe stability of the tank trucks used to transport gasoline and the types of truck chassis that carry the sturdy, versatile portable tanks suitable for transport by ship, rail, or truck. The Department of Trans portation should scrutinize the standards for each of these with great care.
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1u.s. historic sitis &iCf1Y in peril, report says BEACON JOURNAL AKRON, OH Dy William Hershey Beacon Journal Wiuhlnvton Bureau WASHINGTON The United States is losing its, "prehistoric and historic cultural resources at an alarming rate," and some sites have been destroyed even before they were cataloged, ac cording to a congressional report prepared at the request of U.S. Rep. John Seiberling, D-Akron. historical and cultural heritage would result in more jobs and Increased tourism, the report said. Seiberling called the study "both lucid and informative" and said it would help Congress deter mine what administrative action and laws are needed. study said, includes the Abandoned Shipwreck Act, which would give ownership of ship wrecks to the states and make it possible to preserve historic ship \\Tecks rather than allowing sal vagers to carry off the contents. Establishing an agency to manage all federal cultural pro grams and an agency to protect prehistoric and historical cultural resources. DAILY 163,600 TUESDAY SEP 30 1986 The legislation would provide for reasonable compensation and other incentives for salvage oper a tors to continue searching for such shipwrecks. Reorganizing the Interior Department to provide (or an as sistant secretary for natural and cultural resources. The resources Include build ings, American Indian sites and structures, landscapes, sub merged sites and shipwrecks, battlefields, monuments and houses. The report urged that a better job be done of cataloging histori cal resources. For example, it said that passage of the Olmste-d Heritage Landscape Act, pro posed by Seiberling, would aid the collection of information on all U.S. historic landscapes. The report, prepared by the omce of Technologx ASeSm~nt, also calls for: U these organizational changes are not made, the report said, existing agencies should do more to share Information, use new technologies and develop im proved mainten~nce programs. New technologies such as "re mote sensing" which includes techniques for making images of the Earth's surface from space craft and probing beneath the surface with microwaves must be brought into the struggle to preserve these treasures, said the study. Preservation of the nation's The bill calls for a survey of the parks and landscapes de signed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the nation's first landscape architect, whose works include New York's Central Park and the Capitol grounds in Washington. Other legislation that would aid historical preservation, the PLAIN DEALER CLEVELAND, OH DAILY 471,670 TUESDAY SEP 30 19Bfi U.S. stand on histQric sites rapped By TOM DIEMER 1 "S PDBUAEAU \.JJ<::1 11 WASHINGTON -A small ultralonic device behind the Lincoln Memorial discourages birds from roosting on the statue of Abraham Lincoln. Gamma rays are used to explore the insides of fragile, prehistoric structures and infrared scanners map ancient landscapes from the skies. Archaeologis~. preservationists and historians are increasingly turning to high tech solutions as they methodically reconstruct America's past. The problem is finding the high tech. "The Uniletl States is losing important parts of its cultural heritage al an alarming rate," the Office of Technology Assessment said in a major-"s1iidy released yesterday. .. -, "Preservationists ... share problems of obtaining access to inf ontl.alion about technologies, training and coordinating research. Finally, they share the constraints of inconsistent funding and a serious lack of coordinated implementation of federal policies," the report to Congress said. It was released yesterday by Rep. John F. Seiberling, D-14, of Akron, who endorsed a recommendation for establishing a federal center for preservation technology, either in the Department of Interior or under the management of a consortium of universities. Seiberling said he would prefer to have the Smithsonian Institution manage a technology clear-inghouse. i The report included pointed -'criticism of the Department of the Interior under the Reagan admin-istratlon. Congress may wish to reorganize the department to bring all preservation and cultural programs under one umbrella, the technology office said. Unlike Ohio, which has undertaken a survey of man-made landscapes such as Indian burial mounds, the federal government has not made any "comprehensive survey of the nation's historic and prehistoric landscapes," acrording to the report. As a result, these features are disappearing "through lack of recognition." A spokesman for the Interior Department, David Prosperi, said the agency had not yet read the congressional report, but "We are doing the best we can in terms of trying to protect these areas, with the funds available."
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ii!l1r lhrtttingl1um Neiun BIRMINGHAM, ALA. D. 165,212 SUN. 207,891 SEP 24 1986 Bu~EU.FS R~~~arch outpacing safeguards, study claims WASHINGTON (AP) -The government lacks the infonnation needed to carry out its policy of protecting people from harmful chemicals and other substances that cause inherited illnesses, a congressional study says. The good intentiorn of regulations designed to pre vent genetic damage that can be passed from generation to generation is hampered by inadequate, out-ofdate knowlt!dge on which to base policy decisions, according to the report released Tuesday. The omcs; gf Iwbooloev A5r'D'5t))Wt a non-parti san congressional agency that studies technical issues and advises lawmakers on policy options, said the causes of harmful genetic mutations are poorly understood and inadequately studied. Despite laws such as the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 that single out the chronic health effects of genetic mutations, "little is currently known about the kinds and rates of mutations that occur in human beings," said the report. "Available methods to study such mutations are inadequate to provide sufficient infonnation for evalu~ting mutagenic risks," said the study commissioned by the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and ,the House Science and Technology Committee. Ba::ause of this lack of information, it continued, it is impossible to know if exposures to environmental chemicals, radiation and other agents are important influences on the frequency of inherited health problems. While specific causes of inherited genetic muta tions in humans largely are unknown, the study said, experiments with animals and insects have shown that commonly tJ.5ed substances ca~ these mutations in lower life forms. The study said all federal research and regulatory agencies spent $14.3 million in fiscal 1985 on developmentor application of methods to detec~ or quantify hereditary mutations in humans. More money is needed if this important research is to be expanded, it said. Mutations are lasting changes in the genetic information carried by deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, the basic substance of heredity. These changes in the DNA that make up genes can cause severe diseases and disabilities that are both incurable and difficult to treat. More than 3,000 different disorders are known to result from genetic mutation, including Down's syndrome, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and hemophilia, said the study. And mutations also are asso cia ted with increased susceptibility to other conditions, such as forms of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, it added. About 10 in every 1,000 liveborn infants have a single gene disorder and experts estimate 80 percent of these disorders are a result of mutations that occurred in distant ancestors, the report said. The remaining 20 percent are believed due to sporatic mutations in the reproductive cells of one of the parents, it continued. Mutations can occur spontaneously, with the apparent absence of any unusual cause, or they can be induced by particular agents called mutagens. "It is likely that many or most 'spontaneous' mutations are caused by external forces, ~ibly including ionizing riidiation, ultraviolet radiation, viruses and certain chemicals, but the appropriate links have not been made," the report said. "Some mutagern present around us may also be n~ for sustaining life, for example, oxygen, components of our food, and some of the body's own metabolites (chemical byproducts)," it continued. If Congress wants to do more about developing new technology for hwnan mutation research, the study said, it could establish a lead agency to coordinate federal research. The Energy Department may be a logical choice since it already is doing much of the federal research in this area through its radiation studies, said the report. Other options for Congress include providing more research money, authorizing establishment of biological sample libraries to accwnulate and store genetic material for study, and encouraging more animal studies that could be applied to mutation problems in humans, the report said.
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fc>-rA-focuses on reduci~g waste (,.J..'f 7 With u .. s. ind~try generating a t.on of hazardous waste each year for each person in the country, the congressional Office of Technology Assessment {OTAl,. want.s industry and government t.o get serious. about waste reduction a way to stave off pollution problems. In an aptly named report, Serious Reduction of Hazardous Waste, OTA notes that although spending on pollution control in the. tJ. S. last year reached $70 billion, two-thirds of it by industry, "current pollution control methods often do little more than move waste around." OTA says, therefore, that industry should devote more effort to reducing the generation of waste at the source. And government, OTA suggests, should spend more to encourage waste minimization efforts. Right now, the report says, more than 99% of state and feder al environmental budgets pay for the control of pollution after the fact, while waste reduction programs gamer less than 1% of government environmental funds. l.eglslatlve support. "The federal government doesn't do anything to support waste reduction," says Joel Hirschhorn, who directed the study for OTA. That may change: Representative Mike Synar (D., Okla.), chairman of the House Government Operations Committee's subcommittee on environment, energy and natural resources, plans to hold hearings on hazardous waste this fall, and Hirschhorn thinks that legislation may be introduced before this session of Congress ends in December. OTA has its own recommendations for fostering waste reduction efforts: establishment of a fre~standing Office of Waste Reduction, with its own assistant administrator, within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); creation of a grant program to develop waste reduction techniques that would be "widely transferable" within industry; legislation that would require indus try to provide reports on ongoing and planned waste reduction actions: establishment, through legislation. of a national voluntary goal of up to 10% annual reduction in production of hazardous waste in a five-year period; regulations requiring companies to include waste minimization data in financial reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Despite these suggestions, OTA refrains from advocating a strictly regula/\ tory approach to waste reduction. "It would be extraordinarily difficult for government to set and enforce waste reduction standards for myriad industri al processes," the report says. Instead, OTA suggests, "waste reduction succeeds when it is part of the everyday consciousness of all workers and managers involved with production-where the waste-reduction opportunities are rather than when it is a job only of those responsible for complying with environmental regulations." OTA says that ways to reduce waste include changing raw materials and pro duction technology and equipment; improving production operations and pro cedures; recycling potential waste; and redesigning or reformulating end products. Talk of those approaches to waste reduction "is music to my ears, as an old chemical engineer," says J. Winston Porter, EPA's assistant administrator for solid waste and emergency response. OTA's report, Porter maintains, fl 11CA//-~A-, L liJ--t"/l' L / / CJ,-.,.,;_;. C"/ /.1 ""'-' J i,p i is generally in tune with one that EPA is scheduled t.o submit to Congress in October. EPA's report will emphasize the need to raise industry's consciousness of waste reduction opportunities, empha sizing "information fl.ow [and] technol ogy transfer" within industry and even within companies, Porter says. Small and medium-size companies, in particu lar, need to learn more about waste re duction, he adds. Industry will respond positively, he says, because "it's one part of pollution control that, in many_ cases, has a net payoff." For example, OTA says, waste reduction programs have enabled 3M to save almost $300 million since 19'75. 'A klnc:I of ethic.' Like industry, EPA also needs to raise its waste-reduction consciousness, says Porter, who wants. to integrate waste-reduction thinking as "a kind of ethic within EPA." Porter is setting up a planning and technology office within the agency that will serve all EPA hazardous waste programs. But he doesn't like OTA's proposal for the formation of a new EPA waste reduc tion department with its own assistant
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CHEMICAL WEEK NEW YORK. N.Y. W.53,UI SEP 24 1986 lnrrra lflllultry Metal mining Nonmttlllic mining. exc111t full HHVy constniction Food 111d toad procmi119 T1xtff1 mill products Lumber and wood products Paper and allied products Printing and publishing Chemical llltl 1111111 products Pltroleum and coll products Leather and leather p roducu Stone, day and gl products Primary metal indu1tri11 Fabricltld mltll products Mechinery, except electrical Electrical and alectronic equipment Transportation equipment Instruments and rala1ad products Miscellanecius manufacturing industries Electric, v and sanitary services Miscellaneous repair services Tlltlls ln-l'IICYCIIIII 6 6 5 5 3 30 3 3 4 12 23 1 4 1 1 2 110 16 7 3 2 30 Source: Compiled by the Office of Technoioov AsN11ment. administrator. "I'm not sure the answer is another level of bureaucracy," Porter says. On the other hand, David Sarokin, toxics consultant to i:,iFORYI (~ew York City), an emironmental research group, believes that setting up an independent office within EPA would show that the agency means business. :-; obody has taken it verv ,eriouslv." savs Sarokin, who ser:ed. on a panel that reviewed OTA's work. "'{ think that"s probably why OTA picked the title." Pollution control. Sarokin applauds OTA's emphasis on new reporting requirements. too. However. EP.\'s Porter notes that the Superfund bill hammered out bv a House-Senate conference includes stringent reporting requirements for industrial plants. "I would like to work through that first," Porter ex plains. He continues, I think that could go part way toward what OT.-\ would like to do.'' Porter has ,;ome doubts about whether EP.\ should oifer to relax pollution control regulations in ex change for reduced wa,;te output. 3ome thing OT.-\ suggests. OT.\'s report is one of several dealing with waste minimization that have appeared this year. !:>:FOR)! found that waste minimization t!iforts fell far short of the possibilities at t9 plants it studied ICW: .Jan. 15. IOI. The Environ mental Defense Fund I Berkeley. Calif.), in a survey of efforts in 20 states re leased in June, concluded that "nearly everyone is in favor of source reduc tion" in theory, but "in practice, little is being done." ~onetheless, examples do exist. A re port this summer by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance \Washington. D. C.) documents 46 cases of waste reduction that helped the companies involved save money. For instance. American Enka !Enka. '.\'. C.) used to send waste isopro-2 4 4 37 1 3 8 11 14 4 2 5 1 98 2 1 6 5 19 End producla 2 3 pyl alcohol solvents to an outside firm for recycling. ~ow American Enka does the job in-house. recycling the sohent. right back into the production process. To handle the job. the company paid 57 .500 for a used distillation unit that took three months to modifv and install and that paid for itself a month after implementation. The amount of the sav ings that resulted: ~90.0001 year. 0 .1/1.11{ Bl/'EST0.\'. P.m111ald Rht'1n !'l :r,u;hmgton I
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!' ~~N#7D1f PtJS'r PETER' BEHR"" .,.... I -.. ...... 9JJ25, I"'------------~-.:n1. -i I 'iu,Pri~ 'ol'Pot1ufiot1,iontro1s. j ,, l ; ,.~ 1 he auuattfiicebl:mlllldultrialll!lllaibi;,;;im but matterdoesnot-disapjifl\i''or. Joseph T. Ling daring die Jua 20-J'l!UUII COIMlatnied.oa ... o.Mlnneaota Mining and Manulicturing Co. (3M) the -----~oue of the end.ofthl t wrote several years ago. :: ~pipe and the to1rof t'1,e indeMack. .. '_ This dilemma is compell&lgresearchers to look .... Although pollutioo-Qmtrofcosts are at another option: reducing pgllution at tl!e.source hea:}'-3bouU70 billien,1 ffal', accordinlJ.to by finding safer, cleaner raw materials and '... coqretlllienDeedmatel-the reault Isa steady manufacturing processes that produce less poUution in air and water quality throughout and waste at the end of the pipe. -~ C01111tirry1 : ., ;, . A strategy of pollution prevention is caUed for in .,~ .. The Ulllf surpnsefll tflaftbWcontrol strategr a new study by the Offtce of Tecllnotogy llas net-'letUtllr eliminitecf llllDJI' kinds of'pollution:.. Asl!easment; a 11011partisan. research arm of .. I merely tiasshiftecl it otber-~tiont-, Congress. ; 1 1:h!"~!pread of acid rain waa abetted by the One succesaful example cited in the report is the .. ~:to ue talf smokeltacllllto' dispersethlt story of Cleo Wrap, the. world's largest producer of sulmr C0111QCMll!ldaemittlldm1111 pawer, plaQt9i. gift-wrapping paper, which traditionally used ink& ~NQtioi,ma.tbe,planut,raareddmbJuporting prepared with organic chemicals. To dean its : ]he,jroblelll. .,~, .,. presses, Cleo Wrap required large quantities of ."':'. Muly ildati.iilwuliii dlllt ;IN no IOl!gelf organic solvents, many of them flammable and :l!Ufflped into riven and stteams are stored in potentiaUy hazardous. ~-dumlllortiarilMtandeqreum.-Tl.-It This year, it completed an eight-year transition "ifeposits of haiardoua wastes that threaten the to water-based inks. Its underground storage tanks ,_ 'drinking water ofn:iany thousands of Americans, for chemical solvents and wastes have been ~confronting busine8S and governments with billions removed. Cleanup is now accomplished with .soap -of dollars in cleanup costs and lawauita. and water. saving the company the cost of -~ And with industry generating a steady stream of hazardous-waste disposal. Its insurance costs are .J!ew wastes and byproducts, many potential hazards lower, as well. ~till escape undetected mto.theenvironment. In another example, Hill Air Force Base in --"PolluticlaCOAttola aolvie.no ~they only Ogden, Utah, was able to reduce its use of an acidic :-.alter -~m&ietn.shifflng,itfrom one fonn to organic solvent to strip paint-f~ aircrafl.lllld;; ~)ti.form ofJ1111ttenuay be cli'inged, See BBHB, a, Col. 11 ..... ~... -. i .. t -, _.,,::r'-.._ Pr:eventing Pollution Bllll, From El / ground equipment by switching to a form of sandblasting. ln8tead of aand,. tiny i:eawerable plastic beads are used, and the only waste is pulverized paint, according to OT A. Richard E. Heckert, chairmaa of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., said' rising pollution-control costs make waste reduction increasingly important. "It is an inevitable consequence of the economics. People will respond to cost 1'roblems and the.. government is providing enough of those for us. "Waste reduction can al5o give us a leg up competitively ,W Du Pont executive Paul A. Chubb wrote recently. "Todat, an economically and environmentaUy acceptable plan for waste management may well make Du Pont the low-cost producer and hold the key to the succell8 or failure of many of oui businesses." However, most companies aren't looking seriously at the ~option, said Joel S. Hirschhorn, director of the OT A research project. They don't know enough about it. The first obstacle is the silence that sumrunds the issue.: Companies with the best result# aren't talking about it because' they don't want their competitors to steal their secrets. "Take 3M. They have all this success, and yet 3M doesn't reveal any of the details of what they do We face a problem .. ... of companies not documenting : their experiences publicly for !. proprietary reasons, said Hirschbom. Moreover, 1J1a11J companies are edgy about the concept because they believe that government would follow with mandatory wlea 011 waste reduction. "I thinlrtheir fear is justified,-:::.. Hirschhorn said. '1'hey asaume ,'. n that ifgovemment moved into 0 this area. theJ would inevitably'."_~_ Jookfonregulatory approach. ::: People in mature -_ industriea-petrocbemicals, ~::;::=:_ &tee!, fore:nmpie-ha'N! told uathey are very worried about an th&t." 1H."I Research on waste n!ductiOD'" ,, has a low priority ill the .,, Environmental Pretection -'"" Agency, receiving only a uyo fractiQn of 1 percent of EPA's current $213 milli011 research budget, OT~ said. A first step could be for Congress to set a national goaJ '""' of reducing industrial wastes bY,mo, 10 percent a year-a target .... ;.; that is within reach, based on the experiences of companies like 3M. That, at least, would boost interest in the issue, H.irschllom said. But even. '(.Oluntary goals face-.;:: hard going, because of the :'..: legacy of regulatory wrestling between government and industry, he added. A voluntary "' goal was proposed recently for California. Opposition from industry killed it quickly in the legislature. "It never made it to the floor.~ .. said Hirschhorn.
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THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN OKLAHOMA CITY, OK D. 238,470 S. 313,510 SEP 21 1986 Bv~1i.i.rs :Synar Praises Report (oz.qi i on Waste By -U KelleJ WuldapealueaaWASHINGTON A group of lawmakers which included Rep. Mike Synar of Oklaho ma praised release of a report last week that, among other things, gently chides American industry for not taking "advantage" of ways to reduce hazardous waste in the workplace. A comprehensive report enti.tled "Serious Reduction of Hazardous Waste" was prepared by the Offle of Technology ~IJll.ent, an arm of Congress. Synar, D. Muskogee, and other lawmakers active in environmental issues on Capitol Hill attended an afternoon press conference at which the report was released. Congresssional researchers said more than 99 percent of feder al and state environmental spending -now estimated at $70 billion -goes to controlling pollution after waste is generated. A summary of the report said that "despite claims to the contrary, industry has not taken advantage of all effective waste reduction opportunities that are available." Researchers, however, acknowledged that many companies "with few technical resources and no obvious place to go for guidance" are unable to conquer the complexities of waste control before it becomes a pollutant. Synar, for one, said companies that do invest in waste reduction f i n d t ha t s..u ch i n -vestments "pay for themselves relatively quickly, and that in the long run, waste reduction is ch.eaper than waste disposal." He cited studies done several years ago which estimated that about 247 to 275 million metric tons of hazardous waste is generated annually, and "the actual volume may be much higher." Synar said there "is serious question" whether Americans can manage waste being generated and that from current clean-up efforts. His Government Operations environmental subcommittee will explore what he described as a hazardous waste "crunch" at a hearing next Wednes-day. Synar recently ap .. plauded efforts to clean up industrial pollution at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, focus of a House investigation 21 months ago The congressional report points out that all hazardous waste cannot be eliminated and pol,...._ lution control systems will always be needed. It said. "waste reduction succeeds when it is part of the everyday consciousness of all workers and managers involved with produc-tion, where the waste reduction opportunities are, rather than when it is a job only of those re sponsible for complying with environmental regulations."
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(~fA!lt':1.1 ~9,nment.~~ T!)rrt .. Carpe~ : 'f-ihil ,, .,.. .. 'i Y : :'. . most certain way to redlK'e risks to .,_. :'1itJ''~ ,, health, and. lhe mvironrnnu from ,,,. ,:;~ ~1 ld'be should (.,,~, :l,la~~ .. .~~~-'~~;1 'f~J!,1Jr~''~?, ;~J'!"}~~C.~\~ii-_ ,.~.~~~~a,, ., ... .. ~~Ill\_ l!n(,. li,y.itdb __ OWR,~ ~:::-~~~~, 1iliil: : ......... '~-: s. .... "'" .. :;;.("' 'rj:'p,,:A'1&4 1v'. ,:::~~;j-:8.:i~'!;,:tr~J~t: .,.,/'t; ~~htt: t~ ,11,rfr-~ = :u::.m:c "Wffl god~ to ... ~, ...... 'ronuoq.1 ng pollution after w3re. ia I ma, .. . .
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SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE The Voice of the West D. 5~!i 80D S. 487,233 T
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STANDARD TIMES NEW BEDFORD, HA DAILY & SUNDAY 48,360 167 SATURDAY SEP 20 1986 Bmre,es !oar view 1-EDITORlAL Say goodbye to old arguments a!>out plant-closing legislation c t,:;91-V Ready for some myth-busting This doesn't do much to settle the about advance notice argument over whether the states or 1 requirements for layoffs and federal government should enact plantplant closings? Congress' Offi~~ of closing laws, as the agency Techn.9lQC-MSt8$IDent has come up acknowledges. But it does point out one with some findings that should rattle the obvious problem: white collar workers, long-standing assumptions of both labor on average, are getting a measly two and management. The agency has weeks notice of job loss; and blue collar concluded that when it comes to the workers are getting a grossly unfair 10 typical arguments for and against laws days or less often no notice at all. calling for advance notice of layoffs and plant closings, the two sides are largely wrong about everything. Unions, said the agency, are wrong to contend that getting word of job losses 90 days or 180 days in advance can help salvage troubled industries. Except in a few rare cases, mandatory notices haven't helped communities, creditors, customers and workers mobilize to save jobs. "Advance notice of a few months is rarely enough time to turn an ailing business around," it concluded. What's more susprising is that the agency debunked the usual Chamber of Commerce line of argument that giving advance notice would cause creditor or customer desertion, overstress companies financially, or cut into productivity. If anything, the agency found, employers are finding that when word of a closing or sharp cutback gets around, the curious result is more often increased productivity, safety and quality. And as we have seen locally, especially with regard to the layoffs at the John I. Paulding Inc. plant in New Bedford, local and state agencies have a tough job trying to help laid-off workers on such short notice. What's needed most, the agency contends, is enough advance word to allow employees to adjust, to retrain, to seek other jobs, to get government help where it's available. Government, for its part, must find a way to mobilize more quickly, although in this regard the city and state have done commendably well in recent months. The bottom line, then, is that if plant-closing legislation is going to be good for anything, it won't be to help government or unions save hopeless industries, but to help the individuals involved deal with the trauma of losing their jobs and finding new ones. The agency report ought to be required ,. .. reading before this debate resumes. ,,
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TV CLIPS DATE TIME STATION LOCATION PROGRAM DATE TIME STATION LOCATION PROGRAM 75 EAST NORTHFIELD ROAD LIVINGSTON i NEW JERSEY 07039 (201) 992-6600 (BOO) 631-1160 September 17, 1986 12:00 Noon-12:30 PM WTHR-TV(NBC) Channel Thirteen Indianapolis Newscenter 13 Noonbreak Denise Lee, co-anchor: ACCOUNT NUMBER NIELSEN AUDIENCE 10/6297 Y 46,000 Well, con--congressional report ,Bill, says companies need to give workers more notice if they're about to pass out pink slips. The report from the Congressional Office of Technology Assistance [sic) says most American workers caught in plant closings or mass layoffs get less than two weeks notice, making it virtually impossible to get help in finding new jobs. The report says it takes at least two months advanced planning to set up training and other programs to help displaced workers. September 17, 1986 5:00-6:00 PM WMC-TV(NBC) Channel Five Memphis, Tenn. Action News 5 Brenda Wood, anchor: Also today, a government agency says laid-off workers are not being given enough notice that they're about to be out of work. The Office of Technology Assessment says most workers are given between two days and two weeJ.(s advance notice of layoffs or plant closings, making it virtually impossible for them to find or trnin for new jobs. The agency says the workers need two to four months' notice instead. 83 Words 7 Clips Video cassettes are available in any format for a period of four weeks from air date from our affiliate: VIDEO MONITORING SERVICES OF AMERICA, INC. (212)736-2010
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THE ANN ARBOR NEWS ANN AllBOR, Ml D. 48,885 SUN. 57,381 SEP 21 1986 8.ftet!a SEATTLE, WA SEATTLE DAILY TIMES o. 222,916 s. 217,354 SEP 17 1986 1Laid-off workers not being given enough notice, agency says fROMTHEA.iSOCIATtOPIE5S (,pt '1 /\/ WASHINGTON The two days to two weeks of advance notice of layoffs or plant closings that most employers provide workers make it ,irtually impossible to help them find or train for new jobs, a con gressional agency says, 'The amount of notice that most workers get is not enough for pre paring an effective program of ad justment assistance,., the ~f TcchnologX Assessment said in a 60-page report released last week. The agency, which provides Congress with independent analyses of technical issues. said It takes two to four months advance planning, depending on the number of work ers involved. to set up comprehen sive adjustment programs to help displaced workers. .. In some cases.'' the agency :-;aid. ''a worthwhile emergency er fort can be mounted In only a few weeks. but some impnrtant ser vices will not be ready at the time of layoffs. when the demand for help peaks." The report cited a survey by the General Accounting Office. an other congressional agency, show ing that white-collar workers re ceive only two weeks advance notice. on average. of plant clos ings and that blue-collar workers get an average of only Se\en days notice. [t said 30 percent of large com panies with 100 employees or more give no advance tlotice of plant closings or massive layoffs to blue collar workers and another 34 per cent provide less than two weeks notice. The technology office studiously J \'Oided endorsing mandatory ad -.-ance notification of plant closings and mass layoffs, as required in most European countries. Canada. ~[exico and Japan. But its report was filled with 'ltatements dismissing arguments 1,y the l' .S. Chamber of Commerce ,nd other business groups which over the past 13 years have vehe mently and successfully opposed labor-supported legislation to make advance layoff notices man datory. "As far as legislation is con cerned. that is up to Congress," said Julie Gorte. a principal author of the report. ''There's never going to be a consensus on it." The last attempt at leglslation was in November 1985,. when the Democratic-controlled House re jected 208 a bill to require em ployers with more than 50 workers to give 90 days advance notice of plant closings. The defeat of the measure. the AFL-CIO's top legislative priority last year. was hailed by the Chamber of Commerce as the "straight est labor-management vote we've hand since 1977 on labor law re form on the unions' home turf." The OTA report said it was diffi cult to find evidence to support business assertions that giving ad vance notice of plant closings causes customers or creditors to desert a company. places undue financial burdens on employers or reduces morale and productivity. :\Iost people with practical ex-1 perience, including business spokesmen. report that productiv ; ity, quality and even safety records have all improved during the peri od of notice." the report said. However. it also dismissed argu~ ments put forth by supporters of mandatory notices that they can be instrumental in mobilizing com munities. cred ltors. customers and workers in keeping open plants that otherwise would c!ose. ''There are some instances ... However. this seems to happen ln frequently," the report said. "Ad vance notice of a few months is rar ely enough time to turn an ailing business around,'' The report also criticized delays of up to three months by federal and state agencies in getting job aid to displaced workers. / Required warning of layoffs is urged Knight-Ridder N~w W ASH!NGTON-'::_ M:ost of America's workers caught in plant closings or mass layoffs get little or no warning that their Jobs are ending and no help from govern ment aid programs, according to a congressional report released ye& terday. The study by the bipartlSan Office of Tft$hDOIOIY Asses.fflleDt says compames should be forced lly law to warn of shutdowns and layoffs so workers have a better chance of adjusting. The OTA's report represented the first time an ann of the federal government has endorsed such legjslation. The report found that 88 per cent of larger bus_inesses proVide some kind of nouce to at least some of their workers, but that most people get tittle or no specific warning that their own jobs are the ones that will be lost. According to the study, one third of the nation's companies do not warn their factory workers of mass layoffs or plant shutdowns, Nonunion blue-collar workers get two days' notice of layoffs while white-collar workers typically are notified two weeks in advance. while another third proVicle only two weeks' warning or less. Blue collar workers in nonunion com pames get two clays' notice on average. White-collar workers get two weeks' notice. on average~ the report says. "Whtle there is a strong consensus in the business community as well as among others as to the beneficial impact of advance notice. American workers are not receiving it," Rep. William Ford, DMich., said. The early-warning issue has long been a focal point in a bitter, growmg dispute between business and labor over the phght of America's dislocated workers. Bills requiring notice have been introduced in Congress since !973, but none has been enacted. Some cities and states, including Phila delphia and Michigan, have warn ing laws on the books. Most, however, only encourage voluntary notice and are therefore largely meaningless, a presidential task force reported earlier this sum mer. A bill by Ford has been defeated 11 times, he says, because of a well-financed. grassroots business lobby. Businesses say the legislation would hamper their ability to react quickly to changing market conditions and could lead to more restrictive rules governing plant closings. The report also criticizes the federal government tor not provid ing more money and more rapid help to needy workers. Now, the OTA says, the Department of Labor helps only one of every 20 eligible, laid-off workers. The study said Labor Department red tape has led to four-month delays in gettmg aid to workers, and noted that the White House and Congress have gjven laid-off workers low priority. I ;--...
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l EVEHIN6 SENTINEL ANSONIA, CT DAILY 17,131 SATURDAY SfP ZO 1986 Pmc,a Stud: companies .. s,houttr give ern;~yees early lay0ff no_tice U :lf.t '111D .GROSE notice is giving companies, unions The OTA investigation could_ find Seldilael llll(eaa and communities time to develoD no occurance0of. a company losint w As HING T o~~G.l Vi D. assistance programs for the affectea credit and~.aftet-~. employees adfance DlitllCe-af nlant. woriers,tbeaI'Areportsaid. ing a,~ clmin&-lDGeal. it clOliap ii ''bilblJ ~.rac,: Tb'it key a&listance the found,, advanee notice can benefit co"8nl to: a new f..._ study federal Job TrainiJJC Part'nersbip ~tQrsandcustomen." releuiclreoentfy.. ,. .;. Aet, itrelaUwly new and states are .It also found that finu tbat pve, 1.:C::-~=-Ma~. f:n!tts __ ::e:n:ti::: =:u;::,-::.r =~ vance nollce -lllilr to offer ~. to aet quicldy to sbut-cords. employees job-buatlnl senica, and Ol'-DUUBJayoffl. Canada bu advanee DGtiee led to better 8lllpll,yee lllCll'ale and common perceptions about latioaa and customs.The~ found. community relations, Con,reul advanee notice do no appear_ to bethree .u.s.. forest products. finnl. nonpartisan Office of TecbDQlc true," the report fOIDld: that it operating m Canada. bad no proAs_e,dound.. would cause loss of cmtomers and blems ccmplying with local z-. report also found litcredit; and would lead to lower quirements allowing two to m tle evidence to back business conmorale and production. months noti~ cerns that advance notice of closings / \ would cost companies customers and credit, Ieduce production and cause key peraoaael to leave early. Supporters of legislation to re quire advanoe notice of U.S. plant closjpp welcomed the report "It puncbm boles in arguments~ against the bill," said U.S. Rep. William Ford, D-Mlcll. "I repeat my belief that it's high time for a responsible and humane ~,-,,-1 .. -.. :. .. -,-~?"" ., I.' USA TODAY WASHINGTON, OC DAILY 1,168,222 .... II I i s recallina ... 89,587 of its 1985 r,0 VO I d GL 24trmodels sold in the USA. and 1 DL cables could cause the cars to Defective throf cone trol after tow-speed collisions. speed out o Aduance notice ... of plant, C!os,ngs gen "' s productiVity and can erally won't hurt a compandy obs the COnqres--11 eed to fin new J =.a--:;~ -greatly help workers w~o w,A~sessment says in a study being re sional Office of -,:ech'.'~O!ll__ teased today.
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CINCINNATI ENQUIRER CINCINNATI, DH SUNDAY 300,176 SEP 211986 Bunm,rs 381 ,. "" .___..,,,.,--.. J Illadequ_ate research slowing ~roduction ofbetter houses ~b,!!~ "Even when codes are similar, inspection systems WASHINGTON -Manufacturing innovations that could make American homes better and cheaper have been needlessly retarded by inadequate re search and a scattershot regulatory system, a congressional agency said last week. The Office of Technology Assessment concluded that the-united States 1s senously lagging other nations, most notably Sweden and Japan, in develop ing high-tech, factory-produced housing components. The OT A said factory construction of housing products, ranging from pre-hung windows and doors to pre-assembled walls and even entire rooms, can cut labor costs, improve productivity and enhance quality while still leaving the buyer a full range of design options. The OTA, established in 1972 as the analytical arm of Congress, said in a report: "In the United States, the term 'prefab' still calls to mind inexpen sive, monotonous and drab housing. Consumers tend to believe that American factories produce dreary, shoddy homes. "However, the high-quality, high-status houses constructed in Swedish plants prove that factory construction can offer significant advantages at vari ous stages in the homebuilding process, from the initial design phase through the production assembly and erection of the end product." Industry advancements in the United States have been thwarted by a regulatory system resting with "thousands of state and local codes," the OTA said. vary large producers find it difficult to market a product in several different jurisdictions.'' The OT A said Congress could step into the issue in a variety of ways, including the establishment of national housing regulations or encouraging the states themselves to adopt uniform codes. It also suggested the government could sponsor more indus trial research. "New technologies can improve both homes and homebuilding techniques," the report said. "Houses can be made more comfortable and less expensive to maintain and operate. Homes can be designed in 'showrooms' where computers can match new hous ing with the unique needs and tastes of home buyers." The agency said it was impossible to estimate precisely how much the new factory techniques could cut costs. But labor savings alone could trim 11.75% from the sales price, according to the report. Factory homebuilding could help stabilize the industry by making it less dependent on weather, the OT A said. It cited several other cost advantages: Improving quality control with precision machin' ery and jigs, thereby decreasing defects and the necessity for repeated site visits for repairs. Decreasing construction time and, therefore, decreasing construction loan costs. Facilitating the purchase of large volumes of materials at discounts. Increasing the role of less-skilled employees willing to work for lower wages.
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RADIO CLIPS DATE TIME NETWORK PROGRAM 75 EAST NORTHFIELD AVENUE I LIVINGSTON I NEW JERSEY07039 (201) 992-6600 I /21 2) 227-55 70 I (800) 631 -1160 September 15, 1986 12:00-12:05 PM MT Mutual Broadcasting System News Mike Mc Kl usky reporting: ACCOUNT NUMBER 10/6297 Y The Off ice of Technology Assessment says the American housing industry is lagging behind other nations, particularly Japan and Sweden. Jay Shackford of the National Association of Home Builders says inconsistent regulations are one big cause. Shackford: How homes are built is regulated in local jurisdictions, and allotted jurisdictions have very inequated rules that govern the whole building process. It's a cumbersome process, it takes a lot of time; in a lot of cases they don't allow builders to apply new technologies, advances in construction techniques and et cetera. McKlusky: The OTA recommends a national standardization of home-building codes. 104 Words 9 Clips
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ELECTRONIC HE~S NEW YORK, NY WEEKLY 1,.000 SEP ZZ 1986 -2286 :{;~q1y /Say Data Gaps HurtGATT Talks Strategies WASHINGTON
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_,. 7.91 HEU YORK JOURNAL OF COHHERCE NEW: VORK, NY DAILY. 20,975 FRIDAY SEP 12 1986 .,/ Doubts Surf ace On Services Talks Does US Have Necessary Data For Effective Negotiations? '.:-, :~-f' 71 By RICHARD LAWRENCE services trade on a sector-byJournat of Commerce Staff sector basis or bilaterally," the Of WASHINGTON A congressionfice said. al technical research office quesThe government's system of retioned whether the United States can porting services transactions in U.S. effectively negotiate international international payments data is "subagreements in services trade. ject to large errors," according to Th~_qm~ o(T~hnol_ou,_As~~$$. the office ...m.e..l)l. raised the question as top ad-For example, the office said, the ministration officials were about to Commerce Department's Bureau of leave for a meeting in Punta del Economic Analysis may have under Este, Uruguay, to launch a major estimated U.S. services exports (ex new international trade round. (See eluding banking) in 1984 by as much more stories on the Punta del Este as 50% or $47 billion. Imports may meeting on Page 4A.) have been understated by as much A key U.S. proposal at the meetas $33 billion, it said. ing will be the negotiation of interThe country may have had a $12\ national rules governing trade in billion services surplus in 1984, rathsuch services as insurance, banking, er than the $2.3 billion reported by transportation, construction and daCommerce, the congressional unit ta processing. estimated. U.S. Trade Representative ClayDespite its estimate of a larger ton Yeutter warns that if services services surplus than the govern are not part of the proposed round ment has reported, the office expects the United States will not particithat services exports will make only pate. "a modest contribution" to the U.S. But the Office of Technology Asinternational payments balance sessment, in a 101-page report to the "over the foreseeable future." Senate Governmental Affairs Com-U.S. firms, it noted, do substanmittee, suggested the U.S. govern-tially more services business ment wmay not possess the analytithrough their foreign affiliates than cal expertise to define objectives, through exporting. U.S. se"ices in. weigh possible trade-offs and develvestment abroad, the office said, op alternative negotiating positions wmay be of great importance to par over the course of the upcoming ticular companies," but it is "not trade round." necessarily ... vital for U.S. ecoThe government, it said, lacks an nomic interests as a whole." adequate data. base to make inIn general, it said, U.S. foreign formed judgments in services trade affiliates are "staffed by local people policy. and purchase in the local market; "The poor quality and coverage of they may have little relation to eco the data impair the ability of policynomic activities within the United makers to gauge the importance of States." ,/'
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BALTIMORE. MD IIIE EVENING SUN D.155,807 AUG l 5 l 986 llum!Q --Ocean incineration ofm toxic vvastes held best ansvver ln'i1~ WAsRINGTON (AP)-Ocean ingiven up on the technology, but cited c'.w atkln of hazardous waste may serious public concern about the ex-be safer and cheaper than landperlmental plan to bum up to based burning for some poisons, ac700,000 gallons of tainted oil collect-cord1n1 to a new congressional study ed at Philadelphia. already being discounted by critics. Critics of the experiment ac-~ngresf Office of Technoloay cused the new report of advocating found at-sea incineraan unproven and risky technology. tlon may be the best way to deal "I just think it's unrealistic. with highly chlorinated chemicals There's no such thing as an interim such u deadly and penistent PCBs. solution when it comes to the ocean, The report released yesterday The rlskl are very high," said Rep. suggel&I that Congress and federal William Hughes, D-N.J. He called regular.on collllider "the possibility temporary burning at sea a of encouraging or even requiring the "band-aid approach." use of ocean incmeratlon for s11eh A spokeswoman for. the environwastes. mental activist group Greenpeace, But the study stresses that ocean organizer of opposition to the test, incineration should be used only un-said ocean incineration merely shifts til a better technology can be found. a bad technology out to sea. At-sea burning "could help "It's the old shell game," said bridge the gap between the practices Greenpeace member Lisa Bunin. of the past and the preferred The report found that ocean inpraetices of the future, report says. cineration would be useful for leu The Environmental Protection than 10 percent of the nation's bazAgency late last year tentatively apardous waste, or between 10 million proved a test burning of hazardous and 21 million metric tons of liquid waste off the mid-Atlantic coast. waste generated in the country each But the plan to bum waste oil year. laced With PCBs, or polychlorlnated The burnable chlorinated liquid bipbenyls, 'oll'.U killed in May after wastes are among the moat toxic strong objections by environmentaland concentrated" of their kind, the ists, coastal-area residents and report found. Incineration at sea is members of Congress, principally one of "the few technologies availfrom Maryland, Delaware and New able" to deal with such deadly liq Jersey. The proposed burning site uids. was 120 miles off the Maryland The technology is unsuitable for coast. solid waste or sludge, according to; EPA officials said they have not ______ the report. __ MORNING NEWS WILMINGTON, DE D, 65,162 AU~~6 ,._,,__. If not this, then what?, rt "~q 1.., ,.""'TORIAt Tms IDEA may not have the medical establish ment's full weight behind it, but it sort of makes sense: If you have a cut and have no more sophis ticated way to deal with it, it is, generally speaking, better to put a Band-Aid on it than to leave it bleeding and exposed to infection. The thought arises because some folks sneer at what I they c.all a "Band-Aid approach." By that they mean doing something temporary, not finding a permanent solution. That presumably is what Rep. William J. Hughes, D-N.J., said last week when he called the concept of ocean incineration of hazardous wastes a Band-Aid approach. It also is what a spokesman for Greenpeace, the environmental nag organization, presumably meant by saying that ocean incineration merely shifts bad technol ogy to sea. We yield to nobody, the Delaware congressional dele gation included, in concern for the ocean environment. We also hope for even a temporary or partial solution for a problem. That's the problem of this nation's accu mulation of a couple of hundred m.iit'ion tons of hazard ous wastes every year. No one has found a way to dispose of this vile guck that will satisfy everyone. At the same time, we have not found national will to forgo the kind of consumption that leads to generation of the wastes. In May; the Environmental Protection Agency killed a plan for a test burn of 700,000 gallons of liquified to1tic wastes far at sea opposite New Jersey and Delaware. Plans for the test were well advanced when EPA bowed to clamor by environmentalists, some area residents and some members of Congress. Last week, the congr~s!J:i.Qn!iL Off ice oCT~hgQl.ou. Assessment issued a report. It suggested that ocean incineration may be the cheapest and best way to dispose of perhaps 10 percent of this national garbage trove, that part of it containing such substances as PCBs. The OT A suggested that, ntil better technology can be found, and since concerns about accidents during trans portation also persist iri land-based disposal concepts, government should consider "the possibility of encouragu1g or even requiring" use of ocean incineration for those wastes. Opponents of such incineration, Congressman Hughes and the Greenpeace spokesman among them, mounted the barricades. They vigorously condemn the Band-Aid. They propose no better guard against the festering mess.
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s~-~, OTA Enters Inflamed Debate on Ocean Incineration Of all the ways to get rid of hazardous waste, none has engendered as much contro versy as burning toxic substances at sea. Now the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) has entered the fray with a lengthy report that has already been used by propo nents and opponents of the technology to bolster their own arguments. The report, "Ocean Incineration: Its Role in Managing Hazardous W ascc," released on 15 August, comes at an opportune rime because the Environmental Protection Agency is struggling to develop regulations on ocean incineration. In May, EPA rejected Vulcanua II. Plans to use the ship to burn wastes off New Jersey drew strong protests. an application submitted by Chemical Waste Management, Inc., co conduct experiments on its ocean incineration ship, the Vulcanus 11, off Cape May, New Jersey. The agency announced at the same time that it would not issue a permit until it had developed regulations co cover both research and com mercial use of the technology. The company proposal generated enormous local opposi tion; nearly 3000 people attended public hearings held this spring on the proposal. The OT A report says that burning haz ardous waste at sea could be used as a stopgap measure to treat toxic liquids. It states that ocean incineration "could be a useful option, but is clearly not a panacea." Ultimately, better methods to reduce or recycle waste must be developed. Ocean incineration would onlv be suitable to treat 5 to 8% of all hazardous waste, but the chemicals that could be destroyed by the technology are among the most toxic. The report also notes that incineration at sea is one of the fi:w methods available to detoxify hazardous waste that is highly chlorinated. The report says that there are many unre solved scientific questions concerning the technology's potential risks to health and the -e environment. Many of these same conce were raised last year by an EPA scien~ advisory board. For example, the boar~ recommended that EPA develop better ways co measure whether compounds have been ~estroycd by burning and that ic should unprove methods co identify what compounds arc being emitted into the atmo sphere after incineration. Representative Roy Dyson (D-MD) a member o~ the Ho1:15e ~mmittce on M~chant Manne and F1shenes, which has juris diction over ocean incineration, said in a statement that, based on the findings of the OTA report, "the need for ocean incinera tion has not been proven." But J amcs Banks director of environmental affairs at Wast~ Management, Inc., the parent company of Chemical W astc Management, repeated the report's statement that ocean incineration could be considered an interim method of treating hazardous waste. Banks said, "We're not saying that ocean incineration is the end-all and be-all. Bue lee's go ahead and get the regulations moving. The technology is ready.,, MAR.JORIE SUN f Nuclear Waste Program J Hits Senate Roadblock The etfort to find a suitable place to bury highly radioactive wastes from nuclear reactors has run into serious trouble in the U.S. Senate. On 13 August, the Senate Appropri ations Committee voted unanimously co gut the Department of Energy's civilian nuclear waste budget, stripping some $400 million from the $780 million requested by the Administration. The move, spearheaded by Senator Hacfield.(R-OR), is designed to block.,&' ploration of three candidate sites in the western United States for at least a year. The three sites, in Washington, Nevada, and Texas, were recently selected bv DOE for intensive study with a view to choosing one of them as the nation's first nuclear waste repository. The selection process was part of a carefully crafted national plan put together by Congress 4 years ago. It involved the selection of one site in the West, followed several vears later bv a second site in the East. However, th~ plan started to unravel on 28 Mav when DOE announced that it is sus pen'ding the search for an eastern site, claim ing that one repository will be enough for the time being. The announcement angered people in the West, and the Senate Appro priations Committee action was a direct result (Science, 22 August, p. 835). SCIENCE, VOL. 233
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JACKSONVILLE, FL FLA. TIMES-UNION JACKSONVILLE JOURNAL SAT. 178,388 SUN. 213,281 AUG 17 1986 ~~:J; poisons acc~myJgtiftg during search for perfection [~)..q,7 V It, would be,ironic as well as tragic W a better way can be found i! the. well-meaning defenders of the Burning at sea merely wouJd "help e!}vtronment continued to block waste bridge the gap between the practtces of 11,lilq,osal' proj~ beca~ they are im-the past and the preferred prac perfect and an UTeversible poisoning of tices of the future the report said the Earth occurred before perfection was reached. Greenpeace, which organized opposition to the New Jersey test, said ocean --No sooner was. the most recent apincineration merely shifts a bad tech "proval of incineration released nology out to sea. -Ml~ th e cntic1Sm began. ,. If a safer approach were available, '~~ It's the. old shell game, sniffed a we should use it, even at a higher cost. ~enpeace member. Greenpeace didn't offer one. !o 't'be reaction was to a report by the Meanwhile, no one has stopped the Office~ Il:chnology Assessment find generation of hazardous wastes. They rtiig th incineration a~ sea may the continue to pile up,. creating a mounting 6est ~ay to deal with highly chlonnated threat. In 35 years, more than 6 billlon ~~rrucals such as deadly PCB5: tons of hazardous wastes have been 1a .The_ government sho':11d consider the dumped in the United States. ,possibility of encouraging or ev~n reOcean incineration Is unsuitable for quiring the use of ocean ~cineration for solid waste or sludge. It would be useful ~ch wastes, the study said. for less than 10 percent of the hazardous 91'1'he Environmental Protection Agen-waste, but that seemingly small amount ,cy last year tentatively approved a test is 10 million to 21 million metiic tons of ,Otrrning of 'hazardous waste off the some of the most toxic and concentrat~ast of New Jersey. ed substances around. 9Vi l!l'. The EPA found the practice enVII'~nThe major health risk posed by ocean !:n\entally sound, no worse than burning incineration an accident_ during f6tllandi and needed because of the shift transportation or handling of the waste ,fo 1ncineration caused by opposition to -Is similar to the dangers from land-.~ill$. (and their expense). based incineration, the reP?rt .found. ;brBut tbe plan to burn waste oil laced Actually, land-based mcmerators -with PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) may be even more dangerous, the re -l\laS: killed in May after demon~ations port suggested, because they are closer ~Y .. environmentalists, compl~mt~ of to people. Attempts to burn wastes on m,astal-area residents and obJect1ons land invaiiably produce str~ng pr~tests ~om members of Congress. from anyone within a 300-mile radius. nI _Crttics said the ~ew report advocates The prtnary risk from ocean incinerran unproven and risky technology. ation is to marine life. ,., "1'he risks are very ~." said Rep. Although the amount of waste looms ;William Hughes, D-N.J., without reveallarge on land, it is a relatively small :ing the methodology he used to assess amount compared to the enormous risk. oceans even if every drop of it were ( 1 'He called temporary burning at sea a to somehow get into the sea. "Band-Aid approach," essentially agree-No one would question the wisdom of :i.ltg. with the technology agency. protecting the world's oceans from a se;;-t1early, the congressional agency did rious threat But in this case, the likeli not deem ocean incineration the ulti-hood of senous or lasting harm seems mate solution. It was careful to stress small compared to the benefit of getting .u,e point that it should be used only un-rid of the lethal stuff. -lib') .'i-~: /\
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( Ocean Incineration Backed 8oY~~2~pr:~~n~ --m fuc.'s ardous wastes in incinerators mounted request to burn toxic waste aborad an incin on ocean-going vessels could be an era!or sllip_off the ~~lantic Coast._ .attractive, though not essential, interim Lawrenc~ Jensen, Enviro8!11ental Protec ,option for managing certain liquid tionAgency sassistantadministr~torforwa. ter, said the agency backed off its once-enwa_stes, according to a ~eport rel.eased thusiastlc support for the experimental Friday by the Congressional Office of technology partly because of public concerns Technology Assessmept raised by its tentative approval last Decem"S"everal waste treatment methods, such as ber of a test mission 155 miles off the coast of ocean incineration, will be needed to bridge Ocean City, Md the gap between hazardous waste disposal Mr. Jensen said EPA would not license any practices of the past which are being abanresearch burns for at least one year while the doned, such as landfilling, and preferred agency develops comprehensive ocean incin practices of the future, such as waste reduceration regulations. tion, whose capacity is only now developing, OT A says ocean incineration is likely to according to OTA. have only a limited effect on incentives to The report, prepared at the request of the shift preferred management practices, in Senate Commerce Committee and several part because these practices are expected to House committees, notes that time will be be applied to nonincinerable wastes for the required to implement these preferred pracnear future. tices and they will not be applicable to all It says to ensure that ocean incineration is wastes. supplanted by better technologies as they deLast May, the Federal xovernment reContinued on Page 25 I) CHEMICAL MARKETING REPORTER NEW YORK, N. Y. w. 17,200 AUG 18 19 8 6 8.~t(~~~.s .... V Ocean.Incineration Backed ,/ Continued from Page 7 _;_ velop, any ocean incineration program should be structured to be interim. From the outset, OT A says several ap proaches might be used to control a pro gram's scale and duration, such as directing certain wastes toward or away from ocean incineration by requiring waste producers to demonstrate their need to use the technology. In contrast to land-based disposal, incineration on land or at sea can destroy more than 99 percent of certain hazardous wastes, largely breaking them down into substances that are less harmful or more manageable, such as water vapor and carbon dioxide. However, metals and small quantities of undestroyed or partially destroyed waste that are released in the process can be harmful, and must be stringently controlled, ac cording to OT A. The report says ocean incineration may be particularly useful for wastes that are highly chlorinated. Burning these wastes generates an additional product, toxic hydrogen chlo ride gas. To prevent human exposure to this gas, OT A says land-based incinerators must neutralize it through a scrubbing process which itself generates hazardous waste. Ocean incineration, which would occur far offshore, would use seawater's natural ability to neutralize the gas. Because land-based incineration almost invariably occurs relatively close to populated areas, its primary risk to people is from exposure to routine emissions, says OT A. In contrast, ocean incineration's main risk is to marine resources, from an accidental spill which would be difficult or impossible to clean up. OTA says the major risk to humans from ocean burning would probably result from the transport and handling of wastes on land. Of the 250 million metric tons of hazardous waste generated annually in the US, up to 20 percent could, in principle, be incinerated, OTC reports. Up to half that fraction organic liquids could be incinerated at sea. These liquids, which include PCBs, are among the most toxic and concentrated of hazardous wastes. As much as 65 percent of organic liquid wastes are currently disposed of on land or used as fuel in boilers and furnaces. Only small amounts are now incinerated, all on land. If an ocean incineration program is to be developed, OTA says several issues includ ing regulating hazardous waste transporta tion and incinerator emissions need reso1 u tion so that the technology can be conducted in as safe a manner as ~ssible:.. Rep. Roy Dyson (D-Md.), who staunchly opposed EPA's tentative approval of the plan to conduct a test burn off the Atlantic Coast, says the report "reiterates the many dangers and unknown factors" which thus far have blocked the use of ocean incineration off the US coastline. "As stated in this.report," says Rep. Dyson, "this process may reduce the amount of waste without reducing the risk to humans and to the marine environment. I believe that this is an unacceptable and unnecessary risk when we can continue to support our safer technologies, which include treating, recy cling, and reducing the amount of toxic waste generated."
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/ OJ::1-.;upports ocean incineration of wastes Co~gress' Office of Tuc;h,nQ.l.Qgy__ A~: develop greater capacity in better selffillUmt has given a qualified en-waste management practices and dorsement to ocean incineration as reduce the generation of hazardous a tool for managing certain types of wastes." hazardous wastes. "Ocean incinera-The Environmental Protection tion could be an attractive, though Agency gave tentative approval last not essential, interim option for December for a test bum of about managing liquid incinerable wastes, 700,000 gal of fuel oil containing in particular highly chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in wastes," says an OT A report pre-an incinerator ship at a site off the pared for several Congressional comNew Jersey coast. However, in the mittees, each of which has some face of strong public opposition to oversight responsibilities in this the test burn, the agency last May area. refused to grant a permit for the "With respect to both risks and test (C&EN, June 2, page 6). EPA benefits, ocean incineration falls has been a strong supporter of ocean midway between past and developincineration as a method for dis ing practices," the 222-page report pos,il of certain wastes, particularly states. "For these reasons, ocean inchlorinated organic compounds such cineration could be a useful option as PCBs and dioxins. Public opposi today but is clearly not a panacea. tiort to the technique has been par... It is important to ensure that, ticularly strong and well organized, if permitted, reliance on ocean in-some of it questioning whether EPA cineration can be lessened as we has played too great a role in pro-Cl IDtICAL & EHGIHF.ERING HEUS WASHINGTON, DC WEl::KLV 135,000 Incinerator ship such as Vulcan us II can be used for burning wastes at sea moting ocean incineration to be able to regulate it adequately. If an ocean incineration program is to be developed in the U.S., Con'.'. gress likely will need to play a role, the report says~ New laws may be needed to clarify and augment present authority for regulating ocean incineration, to provide for the phase-out of the program as better waste management methods are de veloped, and to help guide EPA and the public in determining whether and how ocean incineration should fit into the nation's overall hazard ous waste manage"ent strategy. The report, "Ocean Incineration: Its Role in Managing Hazardous Waste/' Stock No. 05200301046-1, is available for $11 from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washing ton, D.C. 20402. a
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HEU YORK,JOURHAL OF COHHERCE NEW VORK, NV DAILV 20,975 TUESDAV AUD 19 1986 BUR!f P.LFS 791 1 tlt~~!! -!!!~l!'!~!~n ~~~~~!!and 21 million inc6ieration of hazardous waste could be an interim, metric tons of liquid waste generated in the country each "middle ground" way to deal with some toxins, and year. sometimes may be safer, cheaper and more useful than The burnable chlorinated liquid wastes "are among land-based burning. the most toxic and concentrated" of their kind, the report Congress' Offl~L1'~~~Q.l9gy As5e:i:1ment found ~d, in~~ration at :iea is one of "th4: fe~ technolo at-sea incineration may be the best way available to deal gies avallable to deal with such deadly hq111ds. with_ highly chlorinated chemicals such as deadly and However, the technology is unsuitable for solid persistent PCBs. waste or sludge, according to the report. The report suggests Congress and federal regul~t?rs The congressional analysts acknowledged the strong consider "the pos~ibi~ity of_ encouraging or eve~. requmng public concern about the technology, noting !hat a 1983 the use of ocean mcmerat1on for such wastes. EPA ocean incineration hearing in Brownsville, Texas, But the stu~y, requ':5t~ by the H?use and Senat~, drew 6,000 people. stresses that shipboard mcmerators will do only until The report suggests Congress, which has yet to better technology can be found. directly address ocean incineration, should step into "the "Ocean incineration could be a useful option today, somewhat thorny history" of the technology, which has but it is clearly not a panacea," concluded the 222-page caused "a lack of public trust in EPA." report. Much of the public concern about the New Jersey The federal_ Envtronmental Protection Agency late test focused on the danger of an unprecedented acciden last year tentatively approved a hazardous waste test tal spill of toxins while the ship was being loaded or burn off the New Jersey coast. heading out to sea. But ~he plan_ to burn waste_ oil l~ced with PCBs, or Shore residents also feared fumes and other residue po~yc~lormated b1~henyls, wa~ killed 10 May after ~trong from the burning itself, originally planned to take less obJectlons by env1ronmentahsts, coastal-area residents than three weeks about 140 miles off Cape May, N.J. and members of Congress. EPA officials said they had not given up on the technology, but cited serious public concern about the experimental plan to burn up to 700,000 gallons of tainted oil collected at Philadelphia. The congressional report said ocean incineration would be useful only for less than 10% of the nation's But the report concluded that ocean incineration's major risk to human health an accident during trans portation or handling of the waste is "quite similar" to the dangers from land-based incineration. "No methods are free of risk' and uncertainty," the report said. (AP}
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THE COASTLAND TIMES "ANTED, NC 3-TIMES/WEEK ll,000 THURSDAY RUG Zl 1986 BURlfffrf:O Rep. Jones Praises OTA Report Issued On Ocean Incineration to~9d'4 ted -!port adcfreJsmg issues assoc1a with "ocean incineration,'' methods us ed to dispose of certain hazardous wastes arseir;;was i-eleased this week by th ice of Technolo Assessment (OTA>. It recetv praise rom Congressman Walter B. Jones, D-NC, chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, which oversees the ocean incineration program of the Environmental Protection Agency. Jones said the report, part of a larger OTA study on marine pollution. provid ed a \careful and thorough review" of issues asociated with the debate on ocean incineration. "It is clear that we as a nation can no longer say no to every waste disposal option because it may pose some risks," Jones said, "but neither can we turn to the oceans in an out-of-sight, out-of-mind' mentality simply to avoid the controversies associated with land based options." Jones said the report attempts to analyze the ocean incineration pro gram and that it should serve as a starting point for further debate on the sub ject. Less than 10 percent of the hazardous wastes produced in this country are suitable for ocean incineration, but some oJ these are the most toxic, including PCBs, waste oils, solvents and organic liquids. Only liquid wastes are suitable for ocean incineration. The ocean incineration option has been under investigation since the 1970s. when EPA issued several research permits under the Ocean Dumping Act for the incineration of hazardous wastes at sea. These permits were followed in 1981 by applications for permits to' incinerate these wastes .; on a regular basis. One application had received a federal loan guarantee from the U.S. Maritime Administration ti. construct an incinerator vessel. In 1984, EPA leaned away from issu ing permits after showing initial support. It is believed that Congressional pressure resulted in the agency holding off on issuing the permits until a specific regulatory program could be 1 put into place for ocean incineration. 2 OELAUARE STATE NEUS DOVER, DE DAILY 23;934 THURSDAY AUO 211986 /!!L/f/fE,l.U'S -J>' Roth criticizes ocean-burning report r -~ .,/ The federai 0ffice_of Te~~~OIQSY. A~~~.!~m~r.iJ'..~ report this wee~ that ocean incineration is an "attractive, though not essential form of hazardous waste disposal has drawn the ire of U.S. Sen. Wllliam V. Roth Jr., R-Del. In a letter Monday to Dr. John H. Gibbons, director of the OTA, Roth said that using ocean incineration as an "interim option would be terribly unwise." "I fear the pursuit of this policy will expose us to the potential of a major ocean spill of toxic.chemicals," Roth said. Roth has recommended greater use of land-based incineration, and said transporting chemicals out to ocean sites is hazardous. Delaware's U.S. Rep. Thomas R. Carper will hold a conference Sept. 4 in Washington, D.C., to explore alternatives for hazardous waste disposal.
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RADIO CLIPS DATE TIME NETWORK PROGRAM DATE TIME STATION LOCATION PROGRAM DATE TIME STATION LOCATION PROGRAM Bu~t1,ELLPS 75 EAST NORTHFIELD AVENUE I LIVINGS TON I NEW JERSEY 07039 /201) 992-6600 I (212) 227-55 70 I /800) 631-1160 August 14, 1986 7:00-7:05 AM MT Mutual Broadcasting System News Dave Curaton reporting: ACCOUNT NUMBER 10/6297 Y Congress's Office of Technology Assessment says burning toxic was~e at sea could be the answer to what to do with it all--at least what to do with chlorinated chemicals such as PCD. This is Mutual News. August 15, 1986 2:30 PM WCBS AM 880 New York City NewsRadio 88 Tom Franklin, anchor: ACCOUNT NUMBER 10/6297Y A congressional report has concluded that ocean incineration could be an attractive method for disposing of certain liquid hazardous waste, but the report says it should be regarded only as an interim solution. The Office of Technology Assessment is the research arm of Congress, it issued the report today that gave a limited endorsement to ocean incineration as a technology that could effectively destroy about eight percent of the nation's toxic waste, or those liquid wastes that could be burned. August 15, 1986 12:32 P.M. WINS-AM 1010 New York City WINS News Irwin Brown, anchor: ACCOUNT NUMBER 10/6297, A new federal report says ocean going incineration may be one way to get rid of hazardous garbage. Tony Sergant reporting: B h urnmg azardous waste at sea has stirred sharp controversy, and the Office of Technology Asse~sment _makes no recommendations, but its report says burning can destroy_ up _to nme~y-nmety percent of certain hazardous wastes. rt says ocea~ burnrng ts especially useful for the many kinds of waste containing chlor_rne, because sea w~ter can neutralize the gas. The study also says bur~mg _waste on land 1s hazardous to people, while ocean burning mainly risks marine life from an accidental spill.
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LAWRENCE, MA EAG LE-TRIBUHE D. 56,642 S, 58,156 AUG 14 1986 BV/f{JE.(..l.E'S 14 more years of African aid -needed, study. says ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH ST. LOUIS, MO D. 264.721 S. 479,075 AUG 17 1986 __ B'{Jt1:EUPS -By Lance Gay Scripps Howard: WASHINGTON The envi ronmental damage and population displacement in Africa's drought plagued Sahel region is so severe that the nations there will need increased gifts of food for at least another 14 years, according to a congressional study. John Gibbons, director of the Congressional Office of Technolo gy_~i,se~smept, said rains that returned to the region last year "provided partial relief" from the .__...... .. Study --Sllggests Extra Aid For West Africa 1988, Reuters News Service V :"'7'! WASHINGTON Nine West Afri can countries in the drought-prone Sahelian region remain among the world's poorest despite a decade of U.S. aid, a congressional study said today. The study was done by the QUL~t 1 I~.dlo.ol~. a research arm of Congress. The study estimates that up to $20 billion in long-term international aid would be needed for the region to reach self-sufficiency in food. "Sahelians lag behind most of Afr! ca in child survival, life expect!Jncy, individual annual income and per capita food production," the report says. "At the same time, they face mounting debt, expanding populations and degrading natural resources." Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., ordered the study. The report is an interim review of a 10-year U.S. de velopment program that channeled $1.4 billion to Chad, Niger, Mali. Sen egal, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Gambia, Cape Verde Islands and Guinea Bissau. The report is scheduled to be finished by the end of next year. "As we are about to join in the long-term task of helping Africa achieve self-sufflency 'in food. the OTA report tells us the lessons we must learn if we are to succeed," Kennedy said at a news conference. The report found that while the infusion of U.S. and other international aid particularly for agricultural development projects had helped ease the region's problems. much more needed to be done to find longterm solutions. "The scale and complexity of the challenge requires a commitment to a generation of cooperation and financial assistance," the report says. It says the region had the resources necessary to be self-sufficient in food by the end of the century. But it says the goal requires a coordinated effort by the international community, over 15 to 30 years, involving $15 billion to $20 billion in new aid. The study's interim findings were released to help Congress decide how best to promote long-term economic development, not just in West Africa, but the whole continent. The 164-page report makes several recommendations, including ways to make the Agency for International Development more effective. The agency 1'.dmin!sters U.S. foreign aid prograr!s. drought, but haven't solved the persistent problems that caused widespread hunger among the region's 35 million people. Food shipments have prompting city dwellers to change their diets so they now prefer to eat imported wheat and rice, rather than the traditional home-grown sorghum and millet. OTA said most U.S. aid projects have focused on feeding the poor and hungry rather than longer-term irrigation projects and restoring abandoned farmlands.
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ARMY TIMES WASHINGTON, D. C. WK 14, non AIIG J d I 98 h BU!!(tlfl.l.E"S ,, 'Package' Plan Urged for Deep-Strike Weapons By TOM DONNELLY Special lo Army Times {.p ') t::\ 7 y WASHINGTON -Weapon systems being developed for NATO's Follow-On Forces Attack should be considered as complete packages, rather than individually, to support speciflc operational con cepts, according to a report from the Ollb:e.llCI~lllil/ ~lit TheJiily!lO report covers emerging technologies vital to the alliance's deep-strike strategy to o!Thet the Soviet Union's advantage in conventional strength. The report was undertaken at the direction ofthe House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees and the Senate Armed Services Committee. It is intended to be a guide to Congress as it reviews the weapon programssuch u the Army's Tactical Missile System and the Air Force's F-15E Strike Eagle -associated with the deep-strike mission, according to Alan Shaw, author of the report. The OT A is a congressional agency that researches the impact of new technologies on a wide range of issues. ''The process of attacking follow-on forces is a complicated one, with many steps between initial detection of the target and success ful attack," the report. said. "It requires a number of different sys tems to perfonn different l\mctions compatibly. Since failure to buy one or two could greatly reduce the value of investments in the others, it is important to treat them in groups." The follow-on forces attack strategy was adopted by NATO in 1!184, and is a concept dear to McDonnMI Oouglaa Uluatratlon The role of the F-15E In NATO's deep-strike strategy Is being debated. Some experts contend that using a piloted aircraft to attack armored targets In the face of heavy Soviet air defenses is not a cost-effective way to accomplish the task. Gen. Bernard W. Rogers, alliance supreme commander. At the heart of the strategy is the assumption that NATO's conventional forces will be able to withstand an initial attack by Warsaw Pact armies, but that they are likely to be overwhelmed by a rapid succession of reinforcing troops the follow-on forces-that will be dispatched 1.o exploit weaknesses in NATO's fronl The goal of the Rogers strategy is to reduce these second echelons by attacking them before they reach the front lines To implement this strategy, the Defense Department is developing new technologies and weapon systems, primarily for the Army and Air Force. The technologies that have greatest application to the strategy are relatively mature, and will be central to the new weap on programs to be procured with-in the next decade In addition to the Army Tactical Missile System and the F-15E. other weapons systems with large deep-strike roles inrlude the Joint Surveillance and Atwrk Radar System and an array of new mumlions that can acquire and attack targets, particularly annored vehicles, on their own. In helping Congress to evaluate the weapon systems, the OTA report identifies a number of general guidelines. These include: Procurementofsystems ought to be tied to clearly d~vcloped operational concepts. "It is im portant to understand how the job is to be done before buying the tools to do the job." the report said Component systems will have to be bought in quantity. "It is likely that large numbers oftargels will havr to be engaged," the reoort -aH1 "If attacking follow-on fonPs ;in to aid NATO's defense. the""""''' 1v will have to exist to attack Pnough to make a difference. Somesystemswillbekeysys. '' tems, without which the whole 1+ fort will fail. Some redundancy will be de sirable. "Complicated systems that have lo perform many consecu tive iimctions are subjee( to disruption in many ways. Redundancy in some of those functions reduces the vulnerability," the report said. The July 30 report is really an interim report, Shaw said. The final report, due in February 1987, will address a number ortopics not in cluded in the first report, such as the relative advantages of different technologies in perfom1ing the deep-strike mission. For example, there is a debate over the need for an expensive air craft such as the F-15E for attacking armored targets that could be within the range ofground launched artillery rockets. Some experts believe that exposing a pilowd aircraft to heavy Soviet air defenses is not a cost-efficient way lo accomplish the task, to say nothing oflhe risk to pilots. Other important issues still to be resolved are the altitudes of NATO partners indetennining the political feasibility ofimple mentingthe strategy. NATO mili tary plans calling for attacking War saw Pad troops within their own countries, as the deep-strike technologies could permit, would raise sensitive points within lite alliance Also, the study saw a need lo evaluate probable S,wiet responses to the new doctrine.
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LOS ANGELES, CA INVESTOR'S DAILY DAILY JUL 31 1986 Bu~ELLE-'S Study Urges D~~ivi Action On Military Technology I I I J'l7 '( ) r h t th ta, ,ts and docp-stnk, Many of th,., systems, such as th, I ByJohnMorrocco, Investor's Daily-NAT.O torces m the early stages. o a t. em ri ~1 is fies, to deliver these Air Force's F-15E ground attack air-1 conflict has led to w~at many perceive as airer~. an m s craft and the Army's AT ACMS long! WASHINGTON Many new a dangerous Jowermg of the nuclear mumt1ons. 1 system are now entering i h I ,, th t c Id help I d h range m1ss1 e emerging tee no ogies a ou threshold. Western m1 1ary ~a ers ave The question of which of these into production or will be within the NAT~ forces offset t~e Warsaw Pact s agreed that NA TO convent10nal for~es technologies should he pursued and how next IO years. "There is some urgency' nume1;1cal advantage in m~n~ower and must ht: strengt~ene~ to stop a ~ov1et they will be integrated together will be a therefore, in making up our minds," matenal could be fielded withm the next conventional stnke without resorting to ke factor in the success of the concept, says the report. decade, says a congressional report nuclear weapons at the outset of the Y h OT A t d Each should be f '1 released here yesterday. battle says .1 _e s u y. But the OTA study notes a number o scrutinized m a terms of thetr u~efulness itfalls in the path of accomplishing the I I But the study, prepared by the Office The OTA report specifically_ looks at in a lar~er set or pack~ges. des1gne? to ~oals of the follow-on forces attack Io~ Tec~nol9gx_...fil~~s1!1~.!!,l, cautions NATO's most recent conventional deaccomphsh sp~c1fic obJec~1ves. Failure concept. Among them is the Pentagon's t at these new technologies should be fense initiative Follow-On Forces to buy one piece of eqmp~ent could traditional practice of developing and 1 fielded a~ compl~te systems packages ~o Attack. Adopted in late. _I 984, the result in a substa~tial l_essening of the promoting individual weapons systems 1 ac;comphsl\ spec!fic goals rather than m strategy is aimed at neu_trahzmg enemy value of.the other pieces in the package. to Congress on their own merits rather j a piecemeal fashion. forces behind the front Imes bef~re they F I T fi are deterthan as part of a larger package. The OT A study ~as comm1ssu:med by NATO reinforcements to be assembled min~d to be the bes~ means to attack Another 9uestion t~ be grapl:'led ~1th I reach the front lines to allow time for or examp e, I aircra t"e House Committee on Foreign Afd tt d t th battle movmg tanks, equal importance should is the associated cost mvolved m brmgt. H d S A d an comm1 e o e t h 1 t fairs and the ouse an enate rm~ be given to the equipment neccessary .o ing these emergmg tee no og1es o 1 Services Committees to help Congres~ m Implementing the concept will depend find and destroy the tanks .. "We wtll maturity, especially in the current atm? : its considerations of Pentagon spendmg heavily upon harnessing a number of need something to find movmg tanks sphere of no-growth defense budgets m 1 request$ associated with NATO's recent new emerging technologies and weapons and communicate that information both the U.S. and western Europe. I decision's tq bolster its conventional systems to locate, track and destroy quickly enough for the airplanes to get I defense capabilities. targets deep in enemy territory. 1!1e7 to the tanks," say the study's au~hors. T N I lrl k include airborne radar systems, soph1st1-"We will also need a suitably eqmpped I CloNr O uc ear n cated data processing systems that can airplane, a weapon to launch from that Concern that recent Soviet increases quickly collate and disseminate. t~rget airplane, and submunitions that can kill 'in men, tanks, aircraft and other mili-information, "smart" mun1t10.ns tanks." I tary hardware could quickly overwhelm equipped with sensors that can guide I .. ..... Finally, there is the political problem of European concerns over U.S. techni cal and economic dominance in arms development. The need for a two-way street in weapons systems development between the U.S. and Europe will be a major issue, says the OTA study.
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RADIO CLIPS DATE TIME NETWORK PROGRAM :~EASTNORTrFtELDJ..~1E.\:_5.:... ,"'\Gs..-..:::. .:rA/JF.PS~'r'07C2;;# (201)992-6W0 ;: .. ;:;:;:" 5~~" ":.: 63' c; July IO, 1986 4:30-6:00 PM MT National Public Radio All Things Considered Susan Stamberg, co-host: ACCOUNT NUMBER 10/6297 Y Twenty-five people in Miamisburg, Ohio, are still hospitalized after Tuesday's train derailment and chemical fire that forced nearly twenty-five thousand to evacuate the area. Firefighters tried to put out the blaze yesterday, but it reignited. Now they've decided to let the fire just burn itself out. Three hundred families are still being kept from their homes. The accident coincided with the release of a congressional report on the transportation of dangerous materials. Francine Rudolph, an analyst with the Off ice of Technology Assessment, says railroads actually carry very little of the nation's hazardous cargo. Rudolph: Trucks carry the most. Out of approximately 1.5 billion tons that are carried each year, sixty percent is carried by truck, and a little less than five percent is actually carried by rail. Stamberg: Hmm--we'll get to trucks in a moment, but let's stick with the rail transportation just for a little bit because it's a week, of course, in which we've had this train derailment in Ohio. It's a period in which we are reporting that a train is going to carry melted--the melted TMI--Three Mile Island--core across ten states for inspection. What is the safety record of the railroad? Rudolph: Well, I think that there were a number of accidentr :n the 1970s that caused some concern, and steps were taken to improve the rail tank cars in the '80s and our records seem to indicate that since 1981 the number of tank cars involved in accidents and number of derailments have declined, the safety record has improved and the Federal Railroad Administration has been increasing the inspections of hazardous materials carried by the railroads. Stamberg: Let's now get to truck transportation, because the point of your report says that what is really problematic is the materials that are carried by trucks on the highways. What's the most dangerous? Rudolph: We believe that gasoline is. Approximately half of the hazardous materials carried by trucks is gasoline, and by virtue of the fac_t that so. much is carried, there's more of a chance of an accident involving gasoline than other commodities. Stamberg: And what would cause those accidents? Is it a problem with the roadbed--the roadway itself, or is it a problem within the truck ...
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RADIO CLIPS 75 EAST NORTHFIELD AVENUE LIVINGS "ON ',': Ii JERSEY 07039 (201j992-6600i!2!2!227-557C !BC'C ~:,.; :15c, Rudolph: Our research shows that approximately sixty-two percent of the accidents involving hazardous materials are actually due to human error, and not necessarily equipment failure. Stamberg: Human error means what?--bad judgment, falling asleep at the wheel... Rudolph: Those things--inadequate training, drivers not being comfortable driving tank trucks--it may be half-full, there's a sloshing effect that makes those trucks somewhat more unstable--and then certainly there are also accidents not only in transit, but also at facilities during the loading and unloading process. Stamberg: You have made a series of recommendations in, in this report, and one of them has to do with licensing for the drivers. What is that? Rudolph: Currently--today states are responsible for licensing truck drivers, and there is no restriction on the number of licenses that a truck driver may hold. So, a driver may have five licenses. If he is stopped in one state, he can show a license from another state, and the system for cross-checking those kinds of violations is not very good right now, so we really don't keep very good records. And the notion behind the driver's license--the single driver's license is that this would be done through a series of national standards that would be implemented by the states themselves, but drivers would be restricted to holding a license from only one state so that we could keep track of them. Stamberg: So that would get at this human-error problem. What about just mechanical problems within the trucks themselves, and inspection of trucks? Rudolph: We looked at federal inspection data, and the number of work years that are devoted to hazardous-material inspections by federal inspectors has dropped by more than half between 1979 and 1984, and the Department of Transportation has initiated several programs to work with states to help them improve their motor-carrier inspection and enforcement programs, and that's fine, but that still leaves three other modes--rail, water, and air--where we feel federal enforcement has really fallen below an effective level. Stamberg: Francine Rudolph, Office of Technology Assessment. 718 Words 60 Clips
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TV CLIPS DATE TIME NETWORK PROGRAM 75 EAST NORTHFIELD ROAD LIVINGSTON NEW JERSEY 07039 (201) 992-6600 (800) 631-1160 July 7, 1986 8:00-9:00 PM MT Cable News Network CNN Evening News Gwen Scott, anchor: ACCOUNT NUMBER NIELSEN AUDIENCE 10/6297 Y N/A A Congressional study released today says that gasoline is the most dangerous cargo being hauled in the U.S.. The study by the Office of Technology Assessment gives fours recommendations to make the hauling of hazardous materials safer. CNN's John Holliman reports from Washington. Holliman: About once every two weeks Americans see pictures like these on television. Pictures of a truck carrying hazardous materials involved in an accident spilling dangerous chemicals on to a highway. The problem is growing and the Congressional study says a patchwork of local, state, and federal regulations is complicating rather than simplifying the government's ability to deal with the problem. Edith Page (Office of Technology Assessment): The probability of an accident is gravest for truck transport, so we addressed a number of our--the focus of our remarks to truck transportation. The second is, that is it human error, human behavior problems that cause most of the accidents and releases of hazardous materials. Holliman: The Office of Technology Assessment says gasoline makes up half the hazardous material on the highway today, and accidents involving it result in more death and damages than all other haz~rdous material accidents combined. The trucking industry says there's a need r truckers to have one national driver's license so poor drivers can be removed from the road. Tom Donohue (American Trucking Association): A lot of the folks are not adequately trained, and adequately prepared, and adequately supervised, and so we're saying the way--what we have to do is expect a certain level of performance from a driver by having a standard which he must meet to get a license and we have to inspect it by making sure we do lots of roadside inspections and then when people break the law, we'll be able to find out who they are. Holliman: The study makes four recommendations, a national training program for local police and fire officials to make sure they know what to do when a spill occurs, a consistent regulation program to standardize the rules governing transport across local and state lines, improved data gathering and public information so government and citizens will know what material is being moved in their areas, and better federal coordination in improving containers used to carry hazardous materials. Congress plans a careful review of the recommendations just released. Some members say they expect to have a new tougher law governing the transportation of hazardous materials ready within twelve months. John Holliman, CNN, Washington.
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TV CLIPS DATE TIME NETWORK PROGRAM 75 EAST NORTHFIELD ROAD LIVINGSTON NEW JERSEY 07039 (201 / 992-6600 (BOO) 631-1160 -: ..,..:_ .. -... July IO, 1986 5:30-6:00 PM MT CBS ACCOUNT NUMBER NIELSEN AUDIENCE 10/6297 Y N/A CBS Evening News Dan Rather, anchor: Thousands of people were finally allowed to go back to their homes today in southwest Ohio as a stubborn chemical fire finally died down in a ruptured railroad car. The whole hazardous cargo was just one of many riding America's rails and roadways every day. Karen Boros has been looking into this. (Boros reports on toxic chemicals and the dangers involved in their transport.) Boros: All of this is no surprise to the authors of a congressional study released on Tuesday which estimates the number of accidents in the last ten years involving hazardous materials is larger than previous estimates by at least double. Francine Ru.doff (Office of Technology Assessment): We believe that, in fact, the number of accidents may be as high as a hundred and seventy, eight hundred and seventy-nine thousand, and the damages may be as high as 1.47 billion. {Boros comments on the Ohio situation.) 161 Words 13 Clips Video caaaettes are available in any format f'or a period of four weeks f'rom air date from our affiliate: VIDEO MONITORING SERVICES OF AMERICA, INC. (212)736-2010
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--------" SciENCE 10 OCTOBER 1986 VOLUME 234 NUMBER4773 Transportation of Hazardous Materials bnos~ weekly the nation~ media rc~rt :mother accident involving railroad cars carrying hazard?us ~atenals. The adJect!ves used are lund, including "deadly." rom the attennon given the matter, one 1s led toward the belief that an extremely serious situation has newly developed. Federal records show that, in fact, the safety of railroad transportation of hazardous materials has improved. In the last 5 years, no fatality has occurred directly attributable to railroad transport of hazardous materials. Responding to a climate of public concern and to congressional urging, the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) has issued a report entitled, Tr11nsportlltim, of HtlZllrdlJus M11teruils. In this document, OT A examines the record of the various modes of transportation, including trucks, railroads, and waterborne craft and discusses measures for improving safety. Improvement can come slowly by use of improved technology. It can come quickly by reduction of hwnan error through training and selection. Gasoline transport is responsible for more deaths, injuries, and dollar damages than all other hazardous materials together. Yet state and local transportation restrictions and anxiety arc usually aimed at shipments of hazardous wastes or radioactive material, which represent only a tiny fraction of the activity and which have caused little in the way of damage. Public concern about transportation of spent nuclear fuel seems to stem from a deep-seated fear of nuclear energy. Experts in a recent poll concerning 30 activities involving risks ranked nuclear power number 20, but the public ranked it the most hazardous. The record for public fatalities from transport of spent nuclear fuel shipments to date is zero. Behind that record is careful design and construction of shipping containers to provide for radiation protection and extreme contingencies of collision and heat. Engineers know how to design and build a safer gasoline tanker truck, but jackknifing and rollovers will continue to the foreseeable future. The improved safety record of the railroads over that of earlier decades is due to better engineering of tank cars and the couplers between them. The OTA report devotes considerable emphasis to the need for better training of emergency response personnel. All too oti:en they are without knowledge of how best to respond to an accident involving release of one of many possible substances. The public sati:ty person first at a scene is likely to be one of the nation's 1 million largely untrained volunteer firefighters. He or she may be confronted with a placarded, derailed tank car emitting a cloud that bums the eyes. The volunteer firefighter'' ... probably has not heard that the simplest equipment for dealing with a hazardous materials accident includes tennis shoes and binoculars-tennis shoes to run away and binoculars co read the hazardous materials placard ft.,,. a distance before calling for expert help." One source of expert help is the Chemical Tran~p0rtation Emergency Center (CHEMTREC). It maintains an on-line database on the chemical, physical, and toxicological properties of thousands of products. At all times, staff arc on duty to provide needed information. An inappropriate response to an accident involving unfamiliar chemical products can endanger the individuals involved and the surrounding community. Of approximately 2 million people in the emergency response network, OTA estimates that a maximwn of 25 percent have received adequate training to meet a hazardous materials emergency. The report recommends initiatives aimed at training trainers. Most transportation accidents imolve trucks and human error such as inattention. A study in the state of Washington showed that 70 percent of truck accidents occurred on a straight path. There is also sufficient doubt about the skills of dri\'ers that the report advocates special driving tests and licenses for truck operators. Additional driver training and improvements in equipment can reduce accident rates. The Shell Oil Company has achieved a 58 percent reduction in rates of pre\'entable accidents through instruction and field training, coupled with the use of automatic tachographic records. The driver knows that his driving behavior is being monitored. He also knows that the records can work to his benefit in case of an unavoidable accident.-PHILIP H. ABELSON Office of Technology ,-\sscssmcnt. Transpurratwn ofHazartiDus Afattnais (Government Printing Otlicc, Washington, DC. Julv 19861.
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THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE NEW YO.BK;: NY o.0io.s1s JUL 8 1986 Bu4~E1.1.irs Toxic lncidel1ts Studied Most Accidents Blamed on Human Error --r~'\"'3y LEO ABRUZZESE \ or' Journal ot eon-Staff WASHINGTON -Sub-par plan ning and poorly trained personnel cause most hazardous materials transportation accidents, according to a new congressional report. me~8a~~io9J!{:i'i1!~~f~ sponsible for more than 60% of all hazardous materials incidents. "More often than not it is people problems. rather than technolog ical shortcomings that cause acci dents, injuries or environmental damage," Edith Page, the study's project director, concluded. OTA, a non-partisan agency that analyzes technical issues for Con gress, prepared the study for the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The report suggests three ways of reducing human error: requiring a national truck driver's license, im proving data collection and accident analysis and providing better train ing for emergency response personnel. Sen. John Danforth, R-Mo., chair man of the Senate Commerce Com mittee, is sponsoring truck safety legislation requiring a uniform na; tional truck driver's.-Ucense. ., The OTA report found, however, that lack of proper training for fire fighters, police and emergency medi cal personnel is the "largest unmet need" in hazardous materials trans portation. The analysis concluded that about 1.5 million state and local emergen cy response personnel need more hazardous materials training to properly handle spills. Added training for just 10% to 15% of the "first responders" who need it would cost $15 million to $20 million aMually, much more than the $7.2 million the government now spends. Alternatively, OTA suggested a basic federal training fund of $5 mil lion to $7 million paired with $10 million to $15 million from other sources, including user fees on haz ardous materials transporters and equipment makers. The report notes that several in dustry trade groups favor a dedicat ed fund, generated by user fees on shippers and carriers, to improve emergency response training. The research agency also backed a uniform national truck drivers li cense, since trucks carry more than 60% of the 1.5 billion tons of hazard ous materials transported by all modes annually. "Improving truck driver perform ance would increase safety and is an important first step," the report found. A clean driving record and proper driver training will be required for the national operator's license. The federal government would establish license requirements and training standards but state officials would administer the program. Eventually, special training and certification for drivers transporting hazardous materials would be added. California, as well as several Euro pean countries, require hazardous materials drivers' licenses. The agency also criticized federal record-keeping on accidents and \ spills, insisting the Department of Transportation "bas no document able. idea,. of how many shipments are transported. It said financial damages from hazardous materials incidents, for example, appear to be at least 10 times higher than DOT estimates. The researchers suggested the Transportation Department could obtain badly needed data through a registration program for hazardous materials shippers, carriers and con tainer manufacturers.
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COLUIVIBUs,.ou DISPATCn D. 206,210 JUL Buqg,-urs 8 l986 /Gasoline is deadliest c~go '! ..... highways WASHINGTON (AP) -t ough nuclear material and hazardous waste get the publici ty, gasoline is the most dangerous cargo in the nation's transportation system, congressional researchers said yesterday:. Gasoline accounts for half of all hazardous material .. carried on the highwa~ the-study said. A'.nd gasoline accidents result in "more deaths and damages than all other hazardous materials accidents combined." OTHER FINDINGS of the Office of Technology Assessment's study: Congress should consider a national truck-driver's license for hazardous cargo, as urged by insurance and trucking groups. Six ty-two percent of hazardous cargo accidents are the result of human error. Shell Oil Co. reduced preventable accidents 58 percent by a combined program to improve equipment and drivers' skills. Although federal aid to the states for truck inspections has -grown, federal inspec tions of all kinds have been declining and "are now insufficient to ensure adequate inspection levels," the office said. The total time spent on inspections declined from 237 work-years in 1979 to 111 in 1984, the most recent year for which figures were available. Most gasoline truck traffic is within one state and not subject to direct federal regula tion. The average trip is only 28 miles, in deliveries to service stations, researchers said. THERE ARE 1,500 gasoline tanker truck spills reported each year to the Transportation Department, but OT A thinks more happen than are reported. The office estimated that there are 225 tanker rollovers, resulting in 88 dea~hs,_ each year. ::Spokesman Gus Ensz of the American Petroleum Institute disputed those estimates. He said the department's own report of 88 deaths between 1979 and 1984 represents "the best figures we know about." Forty-four states have adopted federal interstate regulations as their own within-state rules, he said. These accidents could be lessened in num-: her and severity with a better tank trailer design that has a lower center of gravity, the study. said. It noted that complications such as excessive width or too much empty weight have prevented wide consideration of. sub.sti-... tute designs!'proposed so far. The department is studying regulations to improve peJiormance of tanks. including annual leak testing and stronger manhole covers. A KEY FINDING of the study is the poor quality of accident data. That often means spilled gasoline is overlooked. "State and local regulations are often developed with little or no understanding of the magnitude or nature of the problems to be controlled," the OTA researchers concluded. State and local regulations usually are targeted at radioactive material, which makes up less than 3 percent of all. hazard~us materi als shipments, and at toxic chemical waste,. which makes up about 7 percent. The Transportation Department office responsible, the Research and Special Programs Administration, relies on voluntary reporting by interstate carriers on a confusing form, the OTA report said. The form does not require reports on bulk shipments by water, reports from shippers and freight forwarders, or re ports from carriers operating only within a single state. THAT ADMINISTRATION'S Hazardous Material Information System listed 79,257 ac cidents and damage of $145 million for the years 1979-1984. But by combing the files of the National Transportation Safety Board, states and trade groups, OT A estimated that the real figure was likely to have been 179,000 accidents and property damage of $1.47 billion. The study did not give a specific figure for damages from gasoline accidents. The Research and Special Programs Ad ministration is revising its reporting require, ments, the OTA researchers noted. 1
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DAYTON DAILY NEWS DA'(lOH OH D. 114,100 SUN. 231.152 .JUL 17 l986 Bv~~ 'Hazardous waSte hauls on increase; could ~e safer ., tJ a.-tt 1 EDrTORrAf i;:: So.what might have prevented the train de. railment and phosphorus fire that emptied Miamisburg and gagged its neighbors last week? Lots more hazardous materials are being transported because more such materials are being used to create what we call the good life. Gasoline, phosphorus, PCBs, sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and paint removers are all around, and all dangerous. Federal reports show that railroads have relatively good safety records on transporting toxic substances. (It would help if federal reg uiations for rail tankers that can haul hazard ous materials were upgraded to cover more than just a few toxic substances.) : But most of the really dangerous stuff is tr.avellng over highways and in pipelines un d~r our countryside. : Calls from Ohioans to have shippers notify ttie state and communities of hazardous mate rials about to go through their areas are unre aiistic. Too many shipments are made each d~y; new bureaucracies would have to be cre ated to handle the paperwork at great costs to the shippers, the state and the municipalities. State laws affecting interstate commerce p~obably would be unconstitutional, anyway. : A better idea is to beef up state inspections of railways and of trucks on our highways, make sure they carry the proper insurance and carry out follow-up inspections when cita tibns are issued. : The non-partisan U.S. Office of Technology '?!~~ment reports that truck drivers with long records of traffic violations are hard to g~t off the roads. The Senate commerce, sci e~ce and transportation committee is hearing testimony on a bill tbat would create mini mum standards for states licensing truck driv-Calls from OhioanJ to have shippers notify the state and communities of hazardous materials about to go through their ar- eas are unrealistic. ers and prohibit drivers from obtaining more than one license. Another useful suggestion in the Senate de bate is to require immediate drug testing for truck drivers involved in accidents. (Railroads do it; the crew of the train that derailed tested clean.) OT A suggests that Congress should consid er drawing clearer lines of responsibility when these accidents take place. That needs to happen at both the federal and state levels. If people had a better understanding about lines of 11uthority in disasters, there would be less confusion caused by people tripping over each other to get something, anything, done. OT A also points out that in most cases the first safety officials on the scene of a disaster are not equipped to deal with the disaster. The Miamisburg incident underscored that, al though reports indicate officials handled the situation by the book until they knew what they were dealing with. Miamisburg's first problem was finding out what they were dealing with. What they found out first was that railroad cars don't derail in the same order they were on the track and that flames can obscure car numbers. There shouJdbe a better way of identifying the spill and what to do about it. -
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U.S. HEUS & UO~LO ~lPORT lJA5HIHGTOH, DC WEEKLV 2 HIL. :JUL/21/1.HBG &ulRfffCf CONTROLS TOO LAX? B~--:Taxle waste an wheals A cloud of toxic chemical smoke spewing from a derailed tank car forced 25,000 people to flee their homes in Ohio even as new concerns were voiced about just how carefully dangerous cargoes are being moved across the United States. The July 8 explosion of a tank full of white phosphorus-used in rat poisons-in the Dayton suburb of Miamis burg came on the same day that Con gress's Office of Technology Assessment accusedtlie" government of doing too little to police the movement of some 1.5 billion tons of hazardous substances each year. The accident was a stark reminder to many that the Department of Energy was about to begin .hauling radioactive debris from the Thfee Mile Island nu clear plant near Harrisburg, Pa., by rail through 10 states to a government re-search facility near Idaho Falls, Idaho. Shipments of debris from the 1979 TMI accident-sealed in 23-foot-long casks holding 5 tons each-will be dis patched roughly every three weeks for the next 2 years. Though the OTA report gave high marks to the special casks for radioac tive material, it concluded that mea sures to insure safe movement of dan gerous chemicals generally have not kept pace with "late-20th-century tech nologies and public concerns." Budget constraints have cut the ranks of feder-al safety inspectors in half over the past five years at a time when hazardous material shipments have grown, increasing the bur den on cities and states. The OTA said 62 per cent of dangerous-material spills are caused by human error, not technical fail ures, and improved train ing is crucial-especially for the 1. 7 million local fire and emergency per-i sonnel, who are first on the 2 scene of spills. For the un trained, the OTA recomi mended tennis shoes and I binoculars-the better to run away quickly and read ij cargo-identification placToxic smoke billows from Ohio rail-crash site ards from a safe distance.
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LOS ANGELES TIMES LOS ANGELES, CA Largest Circulation in the West D. 1,048,965 SUN. 1,298,487 SAT. 987,440 JUL 8 1986 Bfffl.fMQ llaaali TransporlCa//111 Wont DlfBaiBr '.q Saf~ty Steps on Hazardous Cargo Urg~~ ByGAYUlRD8J!1.AW,'l'tmaSlaffWriter/i~ 7 f . -' 1}i~~~: WASHINGTON--Federalaafety distributed with the. report. The ha a lower center of sra~), in8peeUoD8 of shipmentl of hazardcommittee chairman. Sen. John C. could reduce the number and. ll"">,. oua materials have been cut by Danforth (R-Mo.). said that.new verityofgasolinetruckaccideni.,,;u,'. more than half since 19'19. while safe~trucking leplation will be While gasoline is involved in 'Nr the annual volume of 8UCb ship considered at a July 15 hearing.: more accidents than nuclear male'n men~ bu increased 20%, the conThe technology office'a report, rials or other hazardous wastes.~ greaional Office of Technology citing human error in 60% of the report noted that states and. locaff''; ~entaaJ.d Monday. accidents involving hazardo~ ma.-ties most often im~ restrictions~ cl din .. onparfisan a,dyencr, coedn-terial&, called for development of a on the latter types of cargo. It sai
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..:Ir. ......... WASHINGTON, DC THE WASHINGTON TIMES DAILY 126,000 JUl. 8 l986 B~EU.FS Tochnology study faults humans uN1TEDPRESS1N-ki~1dNlt and place damages at nearly $145 unmet need related to the Human error not equipment million. transportation of hazardous materifailure -is to blame for nearly two-But the congressional report said i:ds." thirds of all accidents involving the listings are incomplete and other 1b help curb the number of accitransportation o( hazardous materiinformation indicates there probdents, the agency also recomals, a congressional research office ably were 178,683 accidents, causing mended developing a national truck said yesterday. a total $1.47 billion in damages. driver's license. Federal standards Analysis of federal and state data 'Ihlcks carry more than ~alf t~e should be _used to ens~r_e that all by Congress' Office of Tuchnology hazar~ous substances pnmartly states r~qmr~ a clean dnvmg rec~rd Assessment Sl'lows thaf'operatofs' chemicals; petroleum products and and trammg m safety and operation rmstakes cause 62 percent of the radioactive materials -being of the vehicle, the report said. accidents. transported in the United States. The report cited inconsistencies .. Because of the widespread risk of in state and local regulations, which More_ often than _not, it is _people accidents involving hazardous mateoften are confusing and burdensom:) problems or lac~ of mformatmn and rials, every community should have for industry and enforcement olli advance planmng ~ather than public safety forces that know how cials. technolo~cal sh~f!co~mgs that to respond, the report said. But up to "Data and information about shipcause accidents:,mJune~ or e~v!~nthree-quarters of the nation's 1.5 ments are so poor and difficult to mental damage, the office said m its million firefighters, police and acquire that state and local rcgreport. emergency medical personnel lack ulations are often developed with litRecords at the 'n-ansportation Deproper training, it said. tie or no understanding of the magpartment's Research and Special The document called developnitude or nature of the problems to Programs Administration list 79,25T ment of a national strategy to probe controlled;' the report said. incidents from 1976 through 1984 vide training programs the "largest "For example, gasoline is by far ,t the most frequently transported hazardous material and accounts for more actual damages than all others combined:' the report said. "Yet states and localities are most likely to regulate shipments or hazardous wastes and highly radioactive mate rials, which together account for less than 3 percent of the total haz ardous materials transported and"' are already heavily regulated by the federal government." The report "proves what many of us in Congress have been saying for some time the regulation of the transportation of hazardous mate rial in this country is frighteningly inadequate; said Sen. Albert Gore, Tunnessee Democrat, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Education Committee. Rep. James Florio, New Jersey Democrat, chairman of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, said that without improved training for those who transport the materi als, "we are simply waiting for disas trous accidents to occur: -
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SCRANTON, PA TIMES o. 53,914 s. 56,832 JUL 8 l 986 ~f-LQ ;"/AOst T oxiC Truck Mishaps. Are Blamed on Df iVet Error _r~,. 'G '\J::ld N h...,Al register aim~d at eventually prevent-serious. aceident9; \ : ; ~;. owar. ews ~g, a. ~kdriver who.has. lost .a qrAspec!ficall7.~ri~icizedthe-''mstl --, .. ~-... -... license in one state from getting one in tut1onal attitudes of the Department WASBINGT"'! .. have long complained to the federal highway spills, said the report by the 11.a'IU!_ 011' a,rz.ncrease: Ul: government that they have trouble Qft'.'l~_qf.J:'~~olgSI.As!~~~ent. poieutio!J)< disastl'OlU!J/a;;. findin~ out what jackknifed trucks are 'ffi.e _report clauns tlie r1s'k7o t~e .. i .. .. ; :J'i carrying. The_ OTA study apparently pubhc tS compounded by lack of tram-accitle~+~ znv(J_li:mg /Ji confirmed their concern, findmg that in_g of emergency perso~e,. OnlY. (?De ha ... arda'i,s materiali ,_J:i}j between 25 per~ent and 50 percent of ofeveryfouroftheauthorit1esarr1vmg "'. 1.--b ~l 0.:.., all trucks are unproperly or maccur-on the scene of a chemical spill knows earne'-y one of ately labeled. what to do. !. r t 1. Thus, even though there are hotline Training is available but often local c n:.i ,, numbers so local officials can find out firefighters, sheriffs and police officers how to contain a spill, the advice does are unable to take advantage of it. The Department of Transportationno good when the officials on the spot Nationwide, $7.2 million is spent on says that from 1976 through 1984, there cannot identify the chemicals bemg emergency response training. The OTA were 79,000 accidents resulting in $145 carried. says that's insufficient. million in damage. OTA says the mun, The OTA report advocates a national The idea of a national competency ber of accidents. was closer to 179,00& license that would mean drivers of test for drivers-of hazardousmaterials resulting in $1.4-billion in damage.... hazardous materials trucks would r~ such as, gasoline. chemicals, radioac-OTA concedes the industry is right in ceive specialized, standardized traintive waste and nuc~~ar weapons has asserting its safety record is relatively.-in!J and have to maintain a clean aroused fierce opposition from truckers good on a .percentage basis. But the dr1vmg record. and trucking groups. Nonetheless, Cali-report argues "inefficient, cumber-The OTA also suggests the federal fomia already has started a training-some, confusing" and conflicting 9tate government spend $20 million to suplicensing program. and federal reglations need ~o plement first-response emergency There a!ready is a national driver modernized to avert an escalat10n in training for local officials.
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I WALL STREET JOIJRi'{AL SAN FRANCISCO, CA w--Editlall D, 401,ll60 JUL 8 1986 Bvmtl'US'S .. POLfflCS-AND POLICY eport on liJangerous~Cargo Shipments Confirms : ritics~~ ~qncems About{~dequate Inspections : ey LAum McGINLBY 9 7 y' unanswered. Fortunately, the torpedoes _,,.._......,,._ .... JouRNA lnspecting::.tbe Shipping wen! moved safely and DO one-was seri WASfflNGTON-Rep. Tim Wirth (D., Of u ___ --1_;._ Materials OUSIY Injured. COio.! sUl1 gets anci, when he tb1nks Becawle of sucll IDc:idelltl. both the about a trllcll: loaded With Navy torpedoes Total work-yean safety board and the OTA endorse a na; tumlnf over In Dmmr In 191M. TIie federal 306 llonal driver's lleeia for trac:11 drtffrs.. reguJallOII of dangeroas cargoes, he con-11Je OTA esUmates that 62% of all hazard' tends. is a "calloo9 job." 250 ,____ --'----I ous-materlals spills are caused by humaD Rep. W1rtb Isn't alone In his criticism. error. Not all of these errors ar. made by Some policy maken and safety groups are 200 ~------, truck drivers, to be sure, but so much of becoming Increasingly worried about the the hazardous cargo Is carried by truck 1.5 bllllon tA>ns ol dangerous cargo trans150 -----t that !mprovln&' the performance of drlYers ported In tbe u;s. annually, While such would be a major step forward, tile OTA slllpments are expected to rise substan100 reasons. tlally in coming years, federal rules, 11Je OTA also recomJlll!lldlt!Wdevelop-critles say, remain lax and enforcement 50 ment of a na1ional stratelY for the training lackadaJsical. ot the nation"s 1.5 mllUon fJffllgbten. po, 11Je substances ranee from ordinary Nan: The !Mm "wark-yean" reran to Hee andmedtcal personnel-three-quarters psollne to nuclear waste, and Include sucll the annual time llp,llll by all inapeeton in of whom It says lack sufflctent training to thiDp as industrial chemicals and disease-an ...,!ICY deal wttb emergencies in~bazardowl causing biological agents. S-Offecoof~--... materials sen.Albert Gore Jr., CD .. Tenn.) scores ~.,,..,,,___"""""' The OTA's recommendattons may add U.S. regulation of hazardous-materials Impetus to congressional efforts to tighten shipments as "frighteningly Inadequate." by household appliances," another official tile regulation of dangerous shipments. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman says. Sen. Danforth has scheduled a hear1ng for John Danforth (R., Mo.) is pushing leglslaBut In its report, the Office of Technol next Tuesday on bis proposed national tlon to reqlllre a national license for truck ogy Assessment concludes that tile depart driver's license and other truck-safety is. rs-a step many safety groups believe ment's accident totals are probably too low sues. The next day, three House subcom ould help reduce tile risk of transporting because of substantial under-reporting of mlttees Will hold a hearing on leglslaUon angerous materials. hazardous-materials accidents. Damages that would substantially Increase federal Buttressing arguments for beefed-up from hazardous substances are probably at controls on dangerous shipments. The ation is a report being released today least 10 times higher than the annual measure is authored by Rep. Wirth, chalJ!". tile Office of T~ Ar'iflillrneu a amount reported to Congress by the deman of the Telecommunications. eon-nonpartiSiii coiijjn!lii1onal agency. The partment, tile agency says. sumer Protection and Finance SUbcollunit ncy concludes that government reguJa"The feds." contends Fred Mlllar, an tee, and Rep. card!ss Collins UX. IIL), of hazardous-materials shipments is analyst with the Environmental Policy In chalrman of the Government Operations ppled by poor coonllnatlon and lnfonna stitute, "don't even know tile industry and Transportation Subcommittee. But on, shortages of funds and staff, conflict they're regulating," whether Congress, which is on a tight & federal, state and local .rules, iuacc11, Incomplete lnfoanatlon results In part. scbedllle-, Will pass any sucll leglslalifm e labeling of dangel'OWI materials and the OT A says, from the fragmented nature this year remains to be seen. adequate training for truck drivers and of dangerous-cargo regulation. Besides the For its part, tile Transportation Departlocal emergency officials. Transportation Department. the Energy ment insists some of the legislative lnitla"In short," the report says, "the system Department. the Defense Department. the lives are simply Impractical. The notion of Is burdensome to Industry without proVid Environmental Protection Agency, the Nu a national driver's license. for instance. mg adequately for public health and clear Regulatory Commission and the Fed would meet stiff opposition from the states, safety." era! Emergency Management Agency all Mr. Burnley predicts. Moreover, be con-At a news conference yesterday, Edith have roles In regulating the transport of tends. it Is "questionable whether massive Page, the agency's project director, said hazardous materials. new regulation is really needed." that the current federal rules were largely James Burnett, a member of the Na...-------------~ developed by Industry and that "there tional TranSportalion Safety Board, com have been no far-reaching regulatory re-plains that the PentagOD, whose massive fonns and no strategic changes to cope m1111itlons transfers make it one of the big with late 20th century technologies and gest llazardous-materials shippers in the public concerns." country. adheres to Transportation Depart-One of tile OTA's most striking findings ment safety standards-which are substan sbows that federal Inspection forces for tlally less stringent than those followed hazardous-materials carriers fell by half vol1111tar11y by many clollely held chemical between 1979 and 1984, whlle shipments of companies. hazardous materials by truck alone rose In the Denver accident, the safety 3% to 4% a year. board found that a tractor-trailer carrying Officials at the Transportation Depart Navy torpedoes overturned because of ment, which has the primary responsibility driver Inexperience. Moreover, it noted for dangerous-cargo regulation, including that calls by local firemen to the Defense the inspection of carriers, concede there Department's emergency numbers went have been problems but say they are mov---------------1 Ing to reduce them. The department plans, for example. to add 150 new truck inspec tors, who Will spend at least part of their time on hazardous-materials shipments. Alld it wants to strengthen the qualificaons for truck drivers who haul dangerous substa11ces and bar them from holding ultlple state licenses, which allows drivers to pile up a number of traffic viola ons on different licenses. Moreover, Industry groups and depart ment officials say that the accident rate In volving shipments of dangerous substances Is relatively low. James Burnley, deputy transportation secretary, notes that the number of hazardous-materials transport& tlon accidents declined to 5,512 in 1984 from 9,063 In 1981. At the same time, deaths declined to seven In 1984 from 27 in 1981. "There are more people killed each year
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SAN ANTONIO, TX EXPRESS-NEWS D.169,884 AUG 25 1986 BUME,U.FS Hazardous cargo review overdue \!)';> ..., (:J Next monlh'cdngfess is scheduled to review legislation it .adopted in 1975 to regulate the transportation of hazardous chemicals and radioactive materials. The review is long overdue. The Hazardous Materials Transportation Act has proven inad equate to protect Americans from the dangers 'Of such shipments. The act reflected a sincere effort to safeguard communities from acci dents that might occur during shipment of hazardous materials along \he nation's highways and rail sys tems. An estimated 1.5 billion tons of such material moved through the country last year. Accidents were rare. But they happened, and when they did, response teams relying on guidelines contained in the act fre quently found themselves insuffi ciently prepared. Minimal training Federal officials estimate that only 25 percent of all fire and police officials in the United States offi. cials who form the first line of re sponse had received even minimal training in the handling of a hazardous materials emergency. In fact, a recent report by the U.S. Office of 1:"ecru.t
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, ii)he New ljnrk ii;imell NEW YORK, N.Y. D. ~34.530 SUN. 1.553,720 SAT. 731,54& JUL 9 1986 BURRELLE'S Study Cites Gasoline As the _Top Huard .. Am~"f9fttfments WASIIINGTON, July Ii (AP) -Al tbougbnuclNrmateFlal and hazardous ..... =tuetlm gasoline Is the IDlllt c:aqo lnthe nation's tralllpOrtatlm s,atem, ~saidtoday Guollm accounts far balfof all hazardous matatal carried' Oil the highways and I.ta ac:c:tdenU in "more deatbl andclamaps than all otbet bazardaua materials accidents combined," aaici the iltudy by tbe arnc, gt T-T:rdlat Congreaa sbClald COlllider a national truck driver'sU-farbuudouB cargo, as urged by '-and tnlcldng groups. Stxty.two percent of hazardous cargo ac:clckmla are a rmult of human error. .. Altbougb Federal aid totbe states for' truck IDlpectioa bas been llicreaslng,. the study said, Federal Inspections of all kinda have beea declining Most gasoline truck traffic is within one state and Is not subject to direct Fedel'al regulations. 1bere are 1,500 gasoline tanker truck spilla reported each year to the Trans portation Department, which the study believes to be fewer than actually occur. The office estimated that there were 225 tanker rollovers and 88 result Ing fatalities each year. Gus Ensz, a spokesman for the American Petroleum Institute, dis puted these estimates, noting that the department reported 88 fatalities over five-year period 1979-1984. Gu bplollilln KUii 2 MOUNDS VIEW, Minn., July 8 (AP) i Gaaollne from a ruptured pipeline flooded a street and exploded shortly ,before dawn today, killing a mother and daughter. Another -man. who was seriously bumed as she delivered newspapers, ran screaming to a house for help. The inferno that sent 50-foot-high flames througll the neighborhood forced the evacuation of about 200 people. The fire that swept down the street for about three blocks burned the top off the street, stripped lawns of grass, defoliated trees, knocked down power lines and melted mail boxes. "We could just see this 11.ne of fireIt looked to be a whole block long," said Tim Ordahl, whose home.ts a block away. One house was severely damanged and several others sustained minor damage, the authorities said. Derailment aei-Cbemleal MIAMISBURG, Ohio, July 8 (AP) -A rai1tuad tank car carrying a chemi cal used in rat poison derailed and caught fire today, releasing a 1,000. foot-high cloud that caused minor in. juries to at least 80 people and forced the evacuation of more than 16,000 peo : pie. : Most of thme reporting to hospitals : around this Dayton suburb complained : of shortness of breath and burning eyes from inballng the fumes from the 1 chemical, white phosphorus. There I were no reports of serious injuries.
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NEWSDAY GARDEN CITY, NY (New Yolk Cftf Mark8t Arla) D. 525,218 '$. 595,500 JUL 16 1986 banger Ahead (Not to mention behind ... and above) ~?'i'1 y :~l':ORIAL Last week's trafn wreck in Ohio was a forceful reminder that a lot of dangerous stuff is shipped along America's rails, roads and rivers every day. In fact, 1.5 billion tons of hazardous materi;. als are moved each year by trains, trucks, barges and airplanes, according to the congres sional Qffice at Technology Assessment, which has issued a 265-page report criticizing govern ment enforcement and regulatory efforts. A disturbing finding: Shipments of hazardous materials have grown by 3 to 4 percent annually since 1979, but federal time spent on inspections has dropped by more than half. And OTA noted that federal record-keeping is so "fragmented and incomplete" that nine out of 1 O accidents involving shipments of hazardous materials may not show up in government statistics. During the first three months of this year, eight train derailments resulted in the release of haz ardous materials, mostly chemicals. But trains aren't the worst culprits; truck accidents pose a far greater danger. About one in every 1 O trucks carries hazardous cargo. OT A says gasoline tankers cause more deaths and damage than all other hazardous-materials accidents combined. One fix that would surely help: tanker trucks with a lower center of gravity. Yet governments pay little attention to gasoline transport, com pared. for instance, to their myriad, often conflict ing, restrictions on nuclear shipments. Human error accounts for more than half of the hazard ous-materials accidents, according to OTA, which recommends special training for drivers. That's reasonable. So is better training for police and fire fighters. The OTA report contains several sensible suggestions for safer transporting of hazardous materials. Congress plans to hold hearings later this month on truck safety legisla .. tion. It shouldn't stop there. With so many hazard ous loads moving interstate, stricter federal safety regulations and inspections are a must.
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LANCASTER, OH EAGLE-GAZETIE D.17,71S JUL 16 l986 Bv_~eu.rs Transporting Of Hazardous /Materials A Constant Danger & 1 Y ______ ..., ____ formation both within the federal gov-Tlie U.S. Army la currently considerR rt From emmentand between the states and the ing options for destroying its stockpile epo federal government relative to hazard. of outdated cbemieal mUDitions. Two ol \V h ous materials. Federal regulation and m~ 1lllder CIJlllideration WIJ!lld as mgto n information g&tberinl is frapl9:llted in likely have inwlved the transportation that at least six federal agenciea are of these chemical -pons throuab U.S. Rep, Clarence MiHer responsible in part for the shipmentaoutbeaaternObio. ----------disposal of bazardoua materials. FurPersonally, I~ my coaeema To remedy this problem OTA tbermore, the OTA notes that the U.S. about the lralllportalial of lheae haz. recommends estai>lllllin8 a oational Department of Tralllportation (DOT) ardous materials to Secretary of the driver's license for lnldl driven ban-regulates only interstate transportation Army John Marsh, and urged that the dllng buardoul materials. Also in need of hazardous mat.erialll, leaving the Army select onsit.e deatruction of the al better training are the public safety states to regulate intnnat.e tranapor-_ munitions so that Ibey would not have offlcia1I charged with responding to tation. Thia had resulted in a number of to be transporCaL Altbougil the Army hazardoul material emergencies. OTA incomiatenciea in safety standardi will not make a fmal deciaion on tb11 estimates that as many as three-r,-state to state. Additionally, OT A until later this year, I have been in-quart.en of our oalial's 1.5 mil1iOD argma that DOT doe9 not even know for formed by the Army that it bas ten-fireftgbtera, police and medical per-sure who is subject to their regulation tatively cboflen onsite destruction as ill SOIIDll lack the training to handle since it does not require a registration preferredmetbod. emergencies involving hazardous maprogram for interstate hazardous ma-Coincidental to this and underscoring terials. terial sbipppers. my concerns about the traosportation Tile OT A also found a widespread In short, the OT A study is quite of hazardous materials is a recently Jack of coordina~on and of in-unsettling, but it does serve to focus released report by Congress's Offic&of much needed attention on the dangers TechnojpgydSif'M'lla&l..'OTAl. involved in the tranportation of hazBy way of background,. over 1.5 ardous materials. Although almost all_ billion tons of hazardous materials are shipments occur without incident, it ontransported on our roads, railways and Iy takes one or two cases like the one waterways each year, and almost all of this past week in Miamisburg to stir th9!!9~are traosported_.J1f0Pel"ly and widespread fear amongst the general safely. However, incidents such as last public. Hopefully this recent accident week's train accident in Miamisburg will prompt increased awareness and near Dayton which resulted in the action on this problem. release of poisonous gas into the air and prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents from their homes graphically illustrates bow risky the trall&-portation of hazardous materials is. The OTA's study reveals that it is human error, rather than flaws in technology and equipment, that cause the majority of accidents involving the transportaton of hazardous materials. OTA notes that of the reported hazard ous materials spills 62 percent were caused by human error. The OTA study cites inadequately trained personnel, inadequate dissemination of information, and ineffectual regulatory supervision as the primary reasons for these human errors. Proper training of personnel directly handling hazardous materials is of crit ical importance in protecting the public_ safety. Surprisingly, however, such training is oftentimes inadequate if not totally non-existent. For example, over half of the hazardous materials trans ported in the U.S. are carried by truck. Yet truck drivers sometimes are unaware of the special nature of their cargoes, and many lack the training to handle hazardous materials. In fact, most states do not require special cer tifications of drivers carrying hazard. ous materials.
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IROCKLAND, ME COURIER GAZETTE 3/Wk. g ,600 AUG 2 1 1986 BU(!REL.L.FS Proposed Law Would Halt <;;J~p,puter Erosion Of Privacy WASHINGTON, D.C. Saying that the uncontrolled use of computer matching programs threatens the privacy rights of individuals, Senator Bill Cohen (R-Maine> has introduced legislation to better protect Americans whose computerized records are cross-checked by government agen cies. 'Without vigilant oversight and strict procedures for agencies to follow, the powerful tool of the computer can be easily abused," said Cohen. 'My legislation at tempts to strike the proper balance between the legitimate needs of government efficiency and personal privacy." Cohen cited a July study by the 0{.fj.(;~91 Technol9gy_AS...~~ment ( OTA) which found that the practice of cross-checking computerized records to detect waste or fraud in government programs has grown dramatically in recent years, tripling between 1980 and 1984. The report also warned that computer matching programs often run afoul of the Privacy Act. enacted in 1974, to prevent the indiscriminate dissemination of personal information maintained by federal agencies. Cohen said his Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, which held the first Congressional hearing on computer security issues in 1982, will hold hearings in Septmeber on his legislation and the issues raised by the OT A studv. Cohen noted that computer roaching programs can result in an individual's benefits being reduced solely on the basis of unverified information contained in computer records information which Cohen said could be "out of date, mislead ing, or just plain wrong." For example, the Senator noted, the Department of Commerce recently mat ched 22,000 records to see if any of its employees were improperly collecting unemployment benefits. The computer first identified 98 individuals as cheaters, but a further check on the accuracy of the computer survey revealed that only 10 had actually cheated. Cohen's legislation has three basic ele ments: It would require federal agencies to enter into specific written agreements with another federal or state agency before engaging in a computer matching project. The written aggreement would. establish procedures for the proper use of records and prohibit agencies from creating new files on individuals whose records are matched. Cohen said these written agreements would not only force agencies to observe basic safeguards during com puter matching, but wm also permit more effective auditing of a computer match procedure. It would establish Data Integrity Boards in each agency to oversee. approve and review matching programs. It would ssek to enhance due process by requiring agencies to verify informatio& produced by computer matches for acel.1racy, give notice to individuals, and pro vide individuals with an opportunity to refute information from matches before reducing, suspending, or terminating gov: ernment benefits.
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-siio~ : .. .. .. .. Setitronic.Privacy ;u.,;'Js,. \~ 1~, Co~gress passed legtslation banning ~pmg without a warrant.. The law, which Nlona. overdue, .specifically referred to voice '-*l,mlmicatlon,, which was essentially the only telephone communication. atthe time. $il\ce then, biiW.ever, computer technology: has ushered in e~c communication, which is now in heavy U-.:by .. businesses and. individuallt Unfortunately, S\ltilr''el~e communication-in the form of emaronic mail, data networks and. cellular tele J>lic:mes-may be tapped with impunity; -;to remedy this situation,. Congress has before it .t,!e, Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which was passed by the House last summer and is now awaiting action in. the Senate. The need for this legislation is great.. A year ago, the Office ot Technolof? Assessment_ reported that one-fourth ol thi 142ederal agencies it surveyed said they either had already intercepted or planned to intercept electronic communications. Chief among the eavesdroppers were the FBI, the Customs Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration,. the Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department's Criminal Division. In order to' prevent the report from being classified, the Central Intelllience Agency, the National Security .Agency and the Defense 1ntelligence ,; .Agency were not included. in the survey. but it is safe to assume that they are the nosiest agencies. Nor did the report attempt to assess theextent of private eavesdropping by competing companies or by individual snoops. There is currently no law against it, and anyone who communicates by computer should be aware that it is legal for anyone else to listen in. The intent of Congress in 1968 was clear. It wanted to make sure that citizens had all the privacy in communicating by wire that they already had in communicating by mail. The legislators wrote the law with the phone in mind. but they didn't know that there was about to be an expansion in the technology of communication over phone lines. They should bring the law up to date as swiftly as possible.
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. -l .. .ti :: ~Ji -~ .. ,. "'1/A llle, l$fp .fltf!u ;J/0'8 SJJ [/!JJ lL L.#. -~---. ,z..,.. ; J e,;J wiM agreemen-Y--on-.-.-....~ }\ bali,.includlng the placement of aeiimlc morn-. at!clO sites in each country for verification of compliance. How~ver, remaining differences were n~ worked out. The talks were relegated to a second priority behind the SALT II negotiations on~atrategic-miasile restraints, and were broken ()ff,:altogether after the Soviet invasion of ~ghani.;tan. 'nle Reagan Admi'9tration bas resisted pres., -. Adminlltrauon.----Mikhail s. Gorbachev 1s conmUUaua..,. military bureaucracy to the idea of accepting meaningful on-site inspections. If the anticipated official talks indicate that this is true, President Reagan will find it much harder to justify his Administration's continuing resistance to a resumption of serious test-ban talka Those Nosy Computers The potential threat that computers pose to privacy-and ultimately to freedom itself;....has been fretted about as long as there have been computers, and Congress addressed this issue in the Privacy Act of 1974. Since then, however, the development of new technologies for manipulating co111puteri1.ed records and the tremendous increase in the number and extent of electronic data bases have eroded the protections that Congress sought to erect, according to a study by the congressional Office of Technology Ass~nt. So far, the infringement on privacy that computers make possible has been used for socially commendable purposes, such as computer matching to detect welfare and pension cheats and in~ome-tax evaders. In the last five years, the study found. the number of federal computer matching programs has tripled. About 2 billion records were involved. There has also been an increase in the verifica tion of data submitted to federal agencies to weed out--ineligible people before they receive benefits. Doing this involves linking data bases, which is ea!1ly done over telephone lines and is facilitated by the de facto adoption of Social Security numbe~ as the basis for federal record-keeping. Although the 1974 act assigns responsibility to the Office of Management and Budget to oversee these activities, the congressional study found that the agency has shirked this job. As a result. nobody is keeping tabs on what is going on. The potential for unauthorized use and for improper disclosure of this information is enor mous. This is no longer just a theoretical problem. The means now exist for amassing, scrutinizing -and analyzing comprehensive dossiers on virtually everyone. And, for the most part, there is no way for people to know that such information about them is being compiled, or even that they are under suspicion. To be sure, the basic idea of an ordered society is in tension with the basic idea of freedom. We all give up a certain amount of freedom in the interest of order, which we also cherish. But computerized data bases greatly strengthen the government's hand in this balance, and this change has occurred and continues to occur without much systematic thought. Congress needs to reconsider this issue and enact additional controls on the collection, maintenance and use of electronic information. The study suggests that Congress might establish a Data Protection Board or Privacy Commission to oversee these activities, to serve as an ombudsman for citizen complaints and to propose specific measures such as limiting the use of microcomputers to access electronic data bases. As it always does. the future has now arrived. The creation of a national data bank is at hand. Knowing this, Congress can and should take steps both to protect privacy and to prevent abuse by the government. Morning-After Spat Lady Liberty's birthday bash was great fun, but !f s the morning after, and it's time to pay the tab, The hosts, Chrysler Corp. Chairman Lee Jacocca and Secretary of the Interior Donald P. Hodel, are at each other again, squabbling over the check. ------1 ~nl .. h,-,:,tinn for the spent. Hodel, who firPd Iacocca lasl F'ebruary fron a Statue of Liberty advisory comm1ssion. insist; that to pay for the party would breach the trust o the contributors. We suspect that the majority of the peopl who donated money did so to give Lady Libert a facelift, not the gala that went with it. Th 1 --
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ASHEVILLE, NC TIMES D, 13,770 JUL 7 1986 BURREJ.U"S I Big Brother is uP to his tricks-aaain .. .:i97j t:Dl~IAL Don't look. no ._ but Big For. instance, the 142 federal Brother iS at itagam agencies and departments. sur-A collgfesmonal agency; the: veyed by the OT A contain 3.5 bilQf(iGG pf ~ev 0 ~ lion records, more than half of fflen&n has .repo >tGa e ee-wbictr; are acceail)le,. through, omc data on United States citt~' computer links. zens has grown to such. propor. In addition. the number of. tions that there are now comput,. federal mini-computers capable erized files on virtually everyone of, tapping into th~se records now in the country. total about 100,000, compared to It's bad enough that our peronly a few thousand six years sonal lives and financial data are ago. available to scores of agencies Another troubling aspect iS now -banks, credit card cen-that two-thirds of; the agencies:; ters, health agencies and the like checked had no personnel or at;<, but the potential for abuse the most only one person to monii seems to be growing every day. itor compliance witll the: 19'1~ That's-what bothers the.OTA Privacy Act,. an the potential for abuse by gredient of the system other federal agencies. Although to give individual privacy-~ previous administrations vetoed protect citif.ens-. against unwarthe idea of a national data base, ranted intrusion. -1 the OT A says that the computerThis. abuse of the Privacy ized network of records accessiAct. investigators say, has re ble to government agencies has suited in government agencies. made such an information base a routinely comparing personal virtual_reality. records, including information on This de~elop~e!11, according law enforcement files, wees.to the OT A,_ IS distinct threat to wages. program benefits, educa-.... the Constitutional guaran~ees tional and medical histories and every person should have against unreasonable search and seizure. information such as credit The problem can only grow if records held by pnvate compagovernment agencies are permit-nies. ted to continue unchecked the This "voyeurism" on the part practice of collecting. and using of the government can only lead personal information on citizens. to further abuse of the Privacy Some of the statistics relat-Act. The most troubling aspect of ing to the collection of personal the practice is where it can lead information by the government us in years to come unless ttie are not only staggering; they are brakes are applied now. It's time,, downright frightening. something iS done. -...J
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NE.'W 7 YORK TIMBS, SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1986 -------,COMPUTERS CITED AS PRIVACY THREAT U.S. Office of Technology Says Advances Have Reduced Protection of '74 Law 'i I I 'I
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HOUSTON CHRONICLE HOUSTON, TX D. 441,560 SUN. 538,232 SAT. 425,750 ,j \ S~m7!~~~J914Yafch The Office of Technology Assesspull out the stored information on an I!!fill.h_a congressional research agency, has issued a warning that computerized information the federal government is collecting on Americans is rapidly expanding and is increasingly subject to misuse. It is a familiar warning. but one that is important enough to warrant repeating at intervals. The OTA report cautioned that the federal government keeps over 3 billion computerized records on individuals. "leading rapidly to creation of a de facto national database containing substantial personal information on most Americans." The OT A also warned that Social Security numbers are 9Cing used increasingly to identify~ personal records kept by various government agencies, making it much simpler to -:::._ _f\ individual. It's beginning to sound more and more like Big Brother of George Orwell's 1984. The Age of Computers is changing the record-keeping system of America all along the line, but because of the pioneering nature of computer usage. the dangers of privacy violation are obvious. Nobodv wants one big federal computer loaded with information about everv American and available to a wide range of computer users around the country. The OTA suggests that Congress keep a close watch on how the fedj' eral government collects, protects and permits use of computerized records. This should become part of the congressional routine, considering the possibilities involved in com'\ puter use and abuse. ,/-,'\
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~-&oe~AUU ~_apa~,abou&IDhour from Tokyo by COIIIIIUltll' train, With houmng and a cafeteria. where the orphanl can ltudy the Japaneae lansuase. The Japanae government allo gives the orphans an opportunH.y to appear on the government televl~ion network ao that they can find long-lost relatives. and lt encourages employere to hire the orpbam by subsidizing 301', of their ftrst ycar earnings. In all, the Japane,e government will spend about $2 mtllton on behalf of the orphan1 thta year. but NOL Ill UM IIIUlllCNl9 were tile wort of the enemy. At IOIM bi tatudln, according to tufflton' accountt, the setUement leaderl uked the Japanei,e eoldien to kill the children 10 that the adult.I could get away more quickly. In 1983, a scar helped her Japa l\ele relativea Identify Yuuko Ob atawho, who had spent the previous :rt years aa Wang Shuming in Heilongjiang, China's northern most province. "ll is Yasuko, for sure," said her 64-year-old mother, stroking the scar tissue on her daughter's neck. Yasuko was among a group of Computers Have Created a National Data Bank L .-r,~c;. ,\,\!L t> \\ By WILLIAM C. REMPEL. Timet Staff Writer Computers, the key weapons tn ment investigations." the report the government'awaron wute and said. But it alao warned that the fraud, have created what Congreaa, same technology increases the risk civil liberties poup1 and public of "inappropriate, unauthorized or opinion poUa have Jang oppoled a illegal access to and use of peraonal national data bank contamfnl subinformation." stanUaJ penonal Information about The 152-page report by the nonmosl Americana, according to a partisan congressional research study for Congrea by the Office of agency recommended that Con-. Technology AaellsmenL greas consider new privacy protec-But rather than being an Orwelllion legislation and the poaible ian central data bank that maincreation of a privacy commiasion to tains computer recordl in one mediate conflicts. And it predi~ place-something like the NaUonal thal the number of conflicts would Data Center that waa rejecled by increase as government agencie8 Congresa more than a decade increasingly turn to computerized ago-this "de facto naUonal data recordsurveillanc:e. base'' is crealed from hundred.I of separate computerized record sys-Compater Matchla1 tems that can be reached over More than a product of techno-telephone lines by computen vb'-le>gjcal advances, the evolution of a tually anywhere in the country. national data bank aleo ta the resut, Computerized ruea that are subof congressional and adminiatraUve Jet:t to electronic inllpectfon by actions authorizing inc:realed uae of government qenaea vary from computer matching and veriflca-fcderal tax recordl to Social Secu-Uon programs, parUcu)arly in wel-rity rues, from stale driver' Ucenae fare and law enforcement prorecords to prtva&e bank aceount grama. statements. For example, In 1984 Congreas aulhorir.ed the releue of federal And by. INl'Chin8 out Jnfannaincome tax lnfonnation-spedfttion on an mdl'Ytdual throulh a call data f W 2 fi and variety of theae -n11terbled data Y rom orms ... unearned income reported on 1099 banks, the stUdy no&ed. it ta poaai-forms-to any federal, state or hie today for aovemment offleiala to compile electronic doalen on loc:al agency adminultertng sucb millions of priva&e cWzena, rataing programs as food stamPI, unem-concerns about conatituUonal ployment compensation, supple.;. mental Social Security, medical standards of privacy and due pro-assistance and Aid to Families cess and the security and accuracy With Dependent Children. The in-of data. formation can be proVided via "Technological advances have computer. opened up new poaibtlitJea for Also, data banka are being eatabimproving the efficiency of gov-lished solely to facilitate such comernment record-keeping; the de-puter verificaUon and matching tcction and prevent.ion of fraud, efforts. waste and abuN; and law enforce-For example, the Department Health and Human Services la compiling a data bank of the dead-tdenlifytng persona that Medicare has reported dead so that other department.I will no longer aend government benefit checkl made out to them. It ts possible today to electroni cally mingle, merge and compare more than 3 billion records con taining personal information held by various federal agencies alone, according to the report, which was prepared at the request of the Senate Governmental Affaira Com mittee and the House Judiciary Committee. The system has become so extensive, the report said, that it ii difficult for individuals to know what files about them exist, whether the infonnation contained in thole files is accurate and whether any infonnation they may have supplied voluntarily to one agency for one purpose la being used by another agency for another purpoae. Selective Service computers, for example, are used to scan driver's Ucenae records in moat states to ftncl 18-year-old males who have not registered for the drafL And county welfare officen can tap into computerized tax records, bank account records and credit bureau files to verify the income and asset claims of a food stamp appHcanL Jerry Berman. director of the American Civil Uberty Union's privacy and technology project, said: "If Congress tried to introduce a bill to establish a central file on every citizen. it would go down to defeat, but this report shows that what couldn't be done front.ally has happened incrementally ... ------------------------------------, HOME & SPORT C >..B NUS lllalllllan III no ntrac'*Vel '" va1 Lowest Prtct II ; Plus A Plly-Anyw TYAtNoEnact ~\NV' ----~:r= --(1141-
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r11..__ !tlt~B ~~tjB ~tu.st-a'S ~~,e!li !E~ c.E>e ~S'Ssu-e-~ -....._ >-c.o G.>!3E QO O O e J c--! E I :s f Ii~' I j Ji u rJ :B I IC .0 = a ii E-o c:: .m ;-u o e i i~s,fi~~j i'S~jc.!~ Bis = t, ti!d ~~!'E 1 5~ fK;~t"!~n ""-0 I o -<1111 !) m J;, 1:: I ; 0 .... as 3 8. u I l s.~-5 i~ U!11J~;~h~1i~1aii;1 s & .5 ;~ 11-J_;!a~ lei !iii tlaJjt:J-si ......... J .. Rep~~s~J~fJl~f protection_ UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL records containing personal informatching, where data in two or more Big Brother may not be watching mation and that the growing use of computers is searched for those you, as George Orwell warned in his computerized databases, electronic whose names appear more than novel "1984;' but federal computers record searches and matches and once. This technique, often used by have data about nearly all computer networking "is leading welfare or other agencies to catch Americans that could be misused rapidly to a creation of a de facto waste, fraud and abuse, is somewithout more privacy protections, a national database containing subtimes abused, the report warned. new report claimed yesterday. stantial personal information on Another method is computer proThe Office of Tuch11ology Assessmost Americans." filing, a type of computer search ment, a non-partisan congressional The report also said use of Social that the agency said "may result in research agency, released a Security numbers as a de facto napeople being treated as suspect be152-page report, "Electronic Record tional identifier "is facilitating the fore they have done anything to warSystems and Individual Privacy: development of this database." rant such treatment and without !hat warned "the opportunities for The OTA warned that new meththeir being made aware of being inappropriate, unauthorized or iiods of manipulating and analyzing singled out:' !egal acc~ss to, and use of, personal computer records have eroded proThe report concluded that "there mformatmn have expanded." tections created by Congress in the is little or no oversight or considerThe report said the government 1974 Privacy Act. ation of the privacy implications of keeps over 3 billion computer Those methods include computer federal electronic record systems" a .., and that individuals "have no easy way to see or correct their personal records stored in federal systems." According to the report, the Of fice of Management and Budget, an executive agency, is responsible for government oversight in this area. The 0MB, however, "is not effec tively monitoring" the completeness and accuracy of personal records, the protection of records accessible by microcomputers, the cost effectiveness of computer matching and the money spent to ensure com pliance with the Privacy Act. The report suggested that Con gress establish a Privacy Commis sion or other similar panel. It recommended that Congress "re view issues concerning use of the Social Security number as a de facto national identifier and, if necessary, restrict its use or legislate a new universal identification number."
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LOS ANGELES, CA DAILY COMMERCE o. s .. 1nn .Ill I l 19 8 6 BVFf.~E,/.Lfi!S Office of Technology Urges Greater Privacy Protections l~>"l7Y W ASHII"f GTON (UPI) Big Brother may not be watching you, as George Orwell warned in his novel "1984," but federal computers have data about nearly all Americans that could be misused without more privacy protections, a new report claimed Monday. The Office of Tecbnol.Qi!._~ept, a non-partisan congressional research agency, released a 152-page report, "Elec tronic Record Systems and Individual Pri vacy," that warned "the opportunities for inappropriate, unauthorized or illegal ac cess to, and use of, personal information haveexpanded." ... It said that the government keeps over 3 billion computer records containing personal information and that the growing use of computerized databases, electronic re., cord searches and matches and computer networking "ls leading rapidly to a creation of a de facto national database containing substantial personal information on most Americans.'' The report also said that use of Social Se curity numbers as a de facto national identi fier "is facWtattng the development of this database.'' The OTA warned that new methe>
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j .. '~ :.-.---nfE BOSTON 01.QBE TUESDAY. JULY 1. 1986 !P ~ Panel warns of potential for US agencies to tibuse computerized daf41 I Only 12 percent ol the agen:: By Ross Gelbspan des IIW"Yey,qt bave coDllucted au"The OTA's raises troubling ._ vacy rights, and repeated earlier federal privacy principles requlrthe OTA noted: ; '. Globe Staff dlts to ffllllJ'C that their records questions about where our federal f criticisms of the Office of t,tanageIng that: no personal records sys The practice of computer'. A congressional agency yesterare current and accurate. government ln~ormatlon practices ment and Budget for falling to enterns exist In secret; every lndlVldmatching comparing data bat\'& day warned of a rowing potential are taking us,' said Sen. William sure compliance by federal agenual must be able to learn what to elmlnate duplication, waste for abuses by Federal agencies 1 ~ Two-th1rds of the agencies S. Cohen (R-Malne); In a prepared cles with the Privacy Act, lnclud-personal Information has been and fraud In government pto-: through a national electronic data po :ave assigned only one or statement. "It confirms my ... beIng the failure to tell lndlVlduals collected and how It Is used; every grams tripled from 1980 to 1984. base, with computerized files on :~t:~~ ers to monitor compliance lief that the protections of the Prthow their personal lnformatloh Is person has the right to prevent During that period, agencies survlrtually every person rn thecoune 1 974 Privacy Act. vacy Act have been rendered being used. agencies from using personal tn-veyed by the panel matched more. try. The panql co_ncl uded that meaningless by the government's The report cited the Increasing formation for purpoees other than than seven billion records. : While previous admlnlstra-while Americans are more con~ ability to ... store and exchange use by agencies of three techthose for which It was gathered; Mom:iver, the efficiency of lions. vetoed the Idea of a national cerned than ever about Individual Information In electronic form." nlques computerized matching. and, every person has the right to matches was compromised by t data base, the Office of Technolrlvac a ma i verification. and profiling. The correct faulty personal records. large amount of Inaccurate anlt ogy Assessment reported that the f 97 4 J::ivac f; l~~rd of th~ The OTA panel criticized Conspiraling use of those techniques, In detalllng Increased governoutdated Information lo person~ I computrrlzed network of records ctes' use of~ta to ti;:e ;J~ gress for falling to safeguard pr!the panel noted, Is undermining mental use or electronic records, records, the panel added. accessible to government agencies for which they were collected has made such an Information has been largely Ignored. base 8 virtual reality. As a result, agencies routinely The report concluded that the compare personal records, lnclud ra pld Increase In collection and Ing Information on law enforce use of personal Information by ment files, taxes, wages, program government agencies Is threatenbenefits, educational and medical Ing the Constitutional guarantees histories and Information, such as of Americans against unreason-credit records, held by private able search and seizure. the right companies. to be presumed Innocent, and the protection against being lnvestrgaled In the absence of specific suspicions of Illegal actlVfty. According to the report by the nonpartisan Congressional agen cy: The 142 federal agencies and departments surveyed contain 3.5 billion rec.ords, more than half of which are accessible through com-1 puler finks. The number of federal mini computers capable of tapping Into those records Increased from a few thousand In 1980 to about I 00, 000 last year. "'!'."". ...... -........ ~.
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AL TUESDAY. JULY 1. 1986 man's Best ;0% ee Interest k.soovillc, Florida lpmcot Revenue Bonds :dlcal Center Project) des 1986 tions. Registered hoods. ac premium. U-Frcc: 1-282-2010 I collect: 0-813-961-8168 larWaiacomtm: mybt Mlbjtctta ._ udloalm. Mar r of the Senate panel, plans to introduce leg1slat10n later this summer that would require the government to notify in dividuals before it conducts computer matches. a Senate staff member said. The bill also would require the government to check the accuracy of its infonnatlon be fore cutting off benefits and to give individ uals a hearing to challen~ any cut-off. Effectiveness Questioned The report said there haven't been suffi ciently rigorous studies to measure the ef fectiveness of some govemment computer ized surveillance. It noted that the Com merce Department recently matched 22.-000 records to find lhny of its employees were improperly collecting unemployment benefits. The computer Identified 98 Ind! viduals as cheaters. But when the depart ment later checked the accuracy of its computer survey, It found that only 10 actually cheated. The Commerce Depart ment declined to comment. A spokesman for the Office of Manage ment and Budget said the agency hadn't seen a final version of the draft, but he criticized an earlier version sent to the office. "It drew a lot of conclusions, but they weren't backed up by statistics," he said. Continental Air's Plan To Reorganize Cleared restrictions on federal agencies' use and Bua WALLSn1a:&T.Jou1U1M.Sta//Reporir discJosure of persoaal information. It sug-HOUSTON-A federal bankruptcy court gested establtshlng an Independent Pri judge here approved Continental Alr11nes' vacy Board to police computerized Chapter 11 bankruptcy-law reorganization. searches of individual records. as expected. "You don't want Big Brother in Wash Under the plan. which becomes effec ington to have a de facto national data tive Aug. 30. the Texas Air Corp. unit's base. where confldl'!ltlal information is $925 million debt owed to creditors will be used to violate your rights," said Rep. Don paid in full. with interest. Continental will Edwards m .. Calif.J. chairman of the make initial payments totaling approxi House subcommittee on civil and constitu mately Sl-t2 million within 10 days of the tional rights. plan's effective date, with the balance to The report is the third In a series on be paid with Interest over three to 10 computer technology and civil liberties. It years. was prepared at the request of the Senate The plan was accepted by all classes of Government Affairs Committee and a subcreditors. including the carrier's unions. committee of the House Judiciary Commit Continental filed for protection from tee. creditors' lawsuits under Chapter 11 of the Bonds, Forty-second Series, Due 2011 federal Bankruptcy Code on Sept. 24. Sen. William Cohen. IR .. Maine1. a Due. July 15. 2011 1983. t The Port Authority of New York and New 1;:==::=:::=:::=::::::::;::::::::::::===~~=.:..-------------l y1. will redeem on July 15, 191!0, at a price or !Sl to the date fixed for redemrt1on1 S.500,000 Forty-second Series, Due 20 I. wnich have uant to Section .5 of the resolution adopted by shine said Series of bonds. Drawn by lot for n1: 5,000, bea,tng the lo41owi"9 numbers, -by "q~2)": -...l..__.~ ... u .. ~_._ __ a -- COi WI I
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~'\OCIA'l'fO P!tSS Baltimore. executive 1n,'' a move ,d the iudi ,on B. Ses he NMCP ,nization. n olacks and '::' in areas l strength le said the affordable but necesie society." 1inars on ,elopment. 1tion are week. ned about eted the in South ,s-country 1ia. >Ok like ,ed the might nse" to saying .geof a t going consid,aid. -n 1s a a spe House term if now. ,-ernor by ap nay be tegists ope of Broyi2, but ) dose :ant to I elec~re as have state and Hal first TmDAY.Jl'LY l. 1986 A3 1 Data on i\mericans Rapidly Centralized Privacy Protections Eroding, OT-! Says By Judith Havemann WIIWftltGnPoltSUffWnU!r The federal government is rapidly creating a national data base of personal information on most Americans through increased stor age of records in computers and the routine cross-checking of one list against another, the nonpartisan Office of Technology Assessment said yesterday. The number of federal computers has gone from a few thousand in 1980 to more than 100.000 last year, providing electronic access to more than half of the government's 3.5 billion records, the congressional research group said in a report on electronic record systems and in dividual privacy. Social Security numbers have be come national "identlllers," the re port said. and the protections of the Privacy Act are eroded because the information in the data base can be used with little notice or recourse. ''Computer matches" -the cross checking of records by one agency against another-are conducted routinely. The President's Commission on Integrity and Efficiency reported that 108 "computer matches" will be conducted this year. Within the past 18 months, the Federal Register has contained notices of new computer matches of recipients of black lung payments, railroad retirement benefits, civil service pensions, veterans disability benefits, and subsidized housing. "We have an obligation to the taxpayers to insure that their money is spent accurately and without error." an Office of Management and Budget spokesman said. "Computer matches, most recently the one carried out to check on unearned income through IRS records. are structured very, very carefully to protect privacy," "Computer reels have to be copied and malled across the country," he said. "There is no direct access to IRS files." The OTA report. however, 1s highly critical of OMB's oversight of the Privacy Act, passed in 197 4 after four years of study and exten sive hearings chaired by the late Sen. Sam Ervin Jr. (D-N.C.). Both the General Accounting Office and the House Committee on G
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EVERETT, WA HERALD 0. 55,100 s. 55.880 JUL l 1986 l!If~~-1:!:~ Cross-checking of private data is now routine, f E:Jls' report says Associated Press v,., ei --) 9 f.Jnder the federal privacy act. information collected for 9 -; o~ purpose cannot be used for another without pennisWASHINGTO,N With the number ~I federal computsi4n, except for routine reasons. Under the "routine" ers mushroom1~. the government 1s creating what ca#egory, computer, matches have been conducted with amounts to a national data base of personal information on little government checking of the appropriateness of the Americans, the Offic_e_~f Iechi!Ology ~ent says. information used, according to OT A. The OTA report said Monday there now is routine cross}tep. Don Edwards, D-Callf., chairman of the House checking of one list of computer records against another, Judiciary civil rights subcommittee, said, "I find it ironic as the number of government computers has increased that an administration elected on a promise of getting the from a few thousand in l 980 to 100,000 last year. government off the backs of the people has brought us c~puter matching, drug testing and widespread The congressional research agency said the government polygraphing." makes little effort to protect the privacy of the records. ;I"he President's Comrrusgon on Integrity and Efficiency with 33 agencies reporting an average of fewer than one reported that 108 matches of computer records will be person assigned to that task. An additional 34 agencies c
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THE DENVER POST DENVER CO o. 234,305 SUN. 354,410 JUN 23 1986 Bu~S I and reclamatiOn limits discussed /_;d, cny By The Aaloc:lat8d Presa WASHINGTON Strip-mined land may be reclaimed in the West, but not an tecbnical questions about the process bave been set tled, says a new report to Congress released Sunday. "Most existing evaluation methods and standards have serious limitations, especially those for evaluating postmining hydrology and vegetation," said the report by the Office_ or Techno~Asssessment. .. P-aittcuJar attention should be given to the question of diversity or vegetation and landscape in a re claimed area, the report said. Any requirement for full restoration of diverse landscapes might be ''too inflexible for adaptation to changing technology and to climac tic and other uncontrollable varia bles." Yet mining typically eliminates such surface features as rimrock and escarpments, ridges, badlands topography and small suface features that may be important to lo cal water flow or wildlife. "Some landforms e.g., hog. back ridges and badlands -are impossible to re-establish, and others may be too costly or difficult for an but tbe most elaborate res toration plans. "Many others can, however, be mimicked in the postmining topography e.g., a section of unreduced bighwall creates an artificial cliff that simulates rimrock."' The law's requirement that mined areas be restored to "ap proximate original contour" has generally resulted in gently rolllng land with little topographic variety, the study said. Variances granted to a few mines to leave alone unreduced highwall have helped provide nesting sites for eagles and other raptors, habitat for small animals and moisture retention in the soil. It is important to know whether soil moisture will be acidic or not, and the report said the chemical test used in the East could not reliably predict tbe potential for acidi flcatiOn in Western soils. __ ..
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COAL MINING CHICAGO, IL MONTHLY 25,000 AUG 1986 BU{f/fEI.I.E'S Improvement seen in western reclamation I An Office of Technologx_Assessme.nt report -saysthe fut.ure of surface mine reclamation in the West looks better since the passage of the 1977 Surface Mining Act, but more research is needed, as well as a better way to make the results more obtainable. OT A said the information and analysis of reclamation data are n_either standardCOAL AGE NEW YORK, NV MGNTHLY 20,0GO AUO 1986 f/Ulf/lE,I.I.E1S ized nor easily accessible, and that crite ria are needed to evaluate the success of reclamation efforts. The study said the only criteria formulated in the five states included in the report are for backfilling the pit, the first phase of bond release. OT A identified six problems to be cor rected to better understand reclamation in the West: unreliable methods to pre dict acid-forming potential of western mine spoils; lack of data that shows other methods of sidiment control; constraints on soils optimization; ability to meet uni form high shrub revegetation standards; lack of characterizing postmining land uses; and the need to establish the value of landscape diversity. OTA Reports Progress in the West f '1 / "" "The prognosis or the ong-term suerestoration euorts on water resources ress of reclamation in the West has will take several years to become clear, brightened considerably," Congress's possibly long after performance bonds Qifit~_Q!_Tec.b.nology. Assessment are lifted. OTA recommends monitor(OTA) declares. ing progress carefully, and seeking imNoting that both the coal industry proved techniques for characterizing and regulatory officials "have learned groundwater problems. No western a lot more" about reclamation problands will be eligible for bond release !ems in the years following the 1977 at least until 1989. pa~~age of the Surface Mining Control Along the same line, OTA found that and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), OTA pre-bond release evaluation "may be concluded in a recently released study inadequate." The authors also found that risks to long-term reclamation efinadequate collection and management forts in the West "have been reduced of baseline and monitoring informa significantly." tion. "In some disciplines, especially Nevertheless, the study, entitled hydrology, the quantity of monitoring "Western Surface Mine Permitting data is so large that regulatory person and Reclamation," also found that nei and resources rarely are available "some significant uncertainties reto review it," the study found. As a main," partly because of the geological remedy, OTA suggested that essential and ecological traits of the area. information be identified so manageOne big problem is that the effect of able databases can be used. ---&qt N.eur inrk Wilttts 0 /EW YORK, N.Y. 34,530 SUN. 1,553 720 SAT, 731,545 JUN 24 1986 Strip Mining in West Is Seen as Revenible -~~~2'} WASHING TON, June 23 (AP) Most st1;1p.mined land in the west can be_ reclaimed, a Congressional agency said Sunday, but it said not all techni cal questions were settled Particular attention sho~d be given to div~rsity of vegetation and land : scape ma reclaimed area, the agency, : th~ Office of Technology Asssessment, said m a repent. pie requirement in current law that mined areas be restored to "approximate orti::inal contour" has generally resulted m gently rolling land with little topographic variety, the study said. But certain features may be important to local water flow or wildlife it said "Some landforms e.g.: hogb~ck 1 ndges and badlands -are impossible i to re-establish, and others may be too costly or difficult for all but the most elaborate restoration plans the re port ~ai~. "M~y others can: however, be m1m1cked m the post-mining topog r~phy e.g., a section of unreduced h!ghwaU cr~ates an artificial cliff that simulates nmrock."
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Strip-mine reclamation improving Agency says budget cuts ham uccess 6,ot q / y F~ONTPAGE By ANDREW MELNYKO CH Scar-Tribune scaff wricer WASHINGTON The chances for succesful reclamation of strip-mined coal lands in the West have improved "considerably" in the last eight years, according to a federal report issued today. But a lack of data and experi ence still make it hard to judge whether current reclamation prac tices will ultimately be succesful, the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment says. Furthermore, the failure of Bureau of Land Management to set adequate environmental stand ards when it leases federal coal could ha~1g~ture reclamation efforts, th ays. Budget cuts in state .and federal reclamation research programs threaten the continued success of attempts to restore mined lands, the report says. OT A prepared the report on 'Western Surface Mine Permitting and Reclamation" at the request of the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee. The report will be issued this morning, but advance copies were provided to the press. The report looks at progtess in mine reclamation since the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), the first federal law setting reclamation standards. Because the law has been in effect less than a decade, any attempt to judge the success of reclamation would be "premature," OTA says. Instead, t~e report focuses on how redamauon success will be judged and on the techniques being used to set reclamation standards. "The prognosis for the long term success of reclamation in the West has brightened considerably" since SMCRA took effect, OT A says. "Some technical uncertamues still exist about several aspects of reclamation," notably questions about water quality and revegeta tion, the report says. Both the coal industry and state and federal requlators have moved toward resolving those issues and '' the risks these uncertainties may pose to the long-term success of Western reclamation has been reduced significantly," according toOTA. "The remaining uncertamues about reclamation ... arise Please see RECLAMATION, A 12 A CASPER, WY STAR-TRIBUNE D. 36,485 S. 38,840 JUN 23 1986 Recliiffiation j+Continued from Al primarily from inadequate and unverified analytical techniques for accurately predicting the im pacts of mining and reclamation," OTA says. Obtaining reliable data is often difficult because standardized researchmethods have not been established, and data may not be comparable; the report says. In many cases, a great deal of infor mation has been collected, but it has not been organized in a way that makes it useful or accessible, the report says. The report also cites as pro blems a lack of long-term recla mation standards and some short comings in short-term standards. OT A also raises specific technical issues which need to be resolved. They include dealing with acid runoff from mine spoils, topsoil handling, restoration of shrubs such as sagebrush, and set ting clearer goals for post-mining land use. Long-term research on reclama tion standards is needed, OTA says. It cites the issue of whether mined land should be restored to its pre-mining state or simply to a state in which it functions in an equivalent manner. But "cutbacks in funding have significantly reduced reclamation research," OT A says. What in formation has been compiled often does not reach the people who need it, the report says. OT A also criticizes the Office of Surface Mining for adhering to closely to its standards, thus discouraging experimental recla mation techniques. "OSM's inflexible application of some design and performance standards for reclamation ... can stilleinnovation in reclamation," the report says. OT A says personnel cutbacks and turnover in both state and federal regulatory agencies also harm prospects for an adequte rec lamation program. The personnel problems "contribute to regulatory inconsistency and inefficiency, increase th~ cost of permit and reclamation review,. and impair OSM's ability to provide technical assistance to state regulatory authorities," the report says. _/ The report criticizes the BLM for hampering reclamation by set ting Hvague" environmental standards when issuing federal coal leases. "BLM does not have an estab lished uniform RSLlllit review pro cess, and neither ~'1,...l)or OSM makes a written fin ng that lease" conditions have been adhered to when mining permits are issued, OTA says. BLM's lease provisions are "too vague. ;md general to provide meaningful' guidance to lessees or permitting agencies on long-term federal land use objectives or to fulfill their intended purpose of alerting these groups" to potential reclamation problems, the report says. /
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THE WASHINGTON POST WASHINGTON, DC D, 728,857 SUN. 1,033,210 .JUN 29 l 986 Bvg~ HHS Prop~ to Curb Indian Health Benefits Quarter-Blood Rule Faces Tribal Fight C, '=if z j moes a1rea~y require one-quarter By Spencer Rich Waahingcon Post Staff Writer Citing budget pressures and steady growth in the American fnl dian population, the Reagan admin istration has proposed to limit el igibility for free Indian Health Ser vice care to those with at least one quarter and in some cases one-hall Indian blood. The National Congress of Amer ican Indians, comprising more than 150 tribes, opposes the change, according to Washington spokes woman Karen Funk, not only be cause it would reduce eligibility by up to 150,000 of the present 987,000, according to some estimates-but also because it views the change as dictating how the tribes should define who is an In dian. "We're going to fight it," she said, adding that she hoped for continued support from Rep. Sidney R. Yates (D-Ill.) and other lawmakers who have backed health services to In dians in the past. Aides to two key House members wit.h jurisdiction over Indian health pro grams, Interior Committee Chairman Morris K. Udall (D-Ariz.) and. Energy and Commerce health subcommittee chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), said they are deeply concerned with the proposed changes. According to one esti mate, the number of eligible Indians in California would be slashed by two thirds. The tentative regulation was published June IO in the Federal Register by Health and Human Ser vices Secretary Otis R. Bowen with a request for public comment. lt would become final in four months. For the purpose of determining who receives benefits, the regula tion would define Indian or native Alaskan as a person who is a mem ber of a iederally recognized tribe or eligible to be a member, lives on or near a reservation and has at least one-quarter Indian blood. A person who is not a member of a federaJly recognized tribe or el igible for membership would have to live on or near a reservation and have one-half Indian blood. At present, a person need only belong to an Indian community, which is not defined, and live on or near a reservation. There is no blood requirement. or more Indian blood, but many oth ers-such as the Oklahoma Cherokees-recognize persons with an eighth, a sixteenth or even less. The proposal was published only a few weeks after the Congresswn al Office of Technolo~ Assessment reported .. that despite decaaes of government attention to their prob lems, American Indians-numbering 1.4 million in the 1980 census. and probably about 1.6 million to day-are in far worse health than the rest of the population, dying earlier and more afflicted by alco holism, accidents, diabetes and pneumonia. And while more than half of all American Indians live in cities and suburbs, more than 300,000 still live on reservations-including 100,000 on the giant Navajo res ervation in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. While focusing on health prob lems, the OTA report sketched an overall picture of Indian life. The 1.4 million in 1980 included about 60,000 Eskimos and Aleuts, accord ing to census figures. Half lived in the western states and more than one quarter lived in the South. The largest populations were in California (201,489). Oklahoma (169,459), Arizona (152,735). New Mexico (107,481) and North Carolina (64,652). The report said increasing num bers of Indians live in urban areas, with 22 percent residing in central cities, 32 percent in suburbs and 46 percent in rural areas. Los Angeles Long Beach was the metropolitan area with the most Indians, 48,120, followed by Tulsa (38,489), Okla homa City (24,752), Phoenix (22,903), Albuquerque (20,788) and San Francisco-Oakland (18,136). Just over one-third of all Indians i lived on reservations, tribal lands or other identified Indian areas. The largest and most populous, the Nav ajo reservation, had 104,978 Ind ians in an area of the Southwest about as large as Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. South Dakota's Pine Ridge reservation, the second largest and sec ond most populous, had 11,946 In dians. The census counted 278 res ervations and 209 native Alaskan villages. Except for Aleuts, Indians gen erally were much poorer than other Americans. In 1979, when median income for all U.S. families was $19,917, the figure for Indian fam ilies was $13,678, and for Eskimos. $13,829. But for Aleuts, who ben efited from the Alaska native claims settlement, it was $20,313. some what over the national average. Among Indian families, those on reservations were by far the poorest, with a median income of $9,924. In 1980, when 12.4 percent of all Americans had incomes below the oificial poverty line, the figure was 27 .5 percent for Indians, 28.8 per cent for Eskimos and 19.5 percent for Aleuts, At that time, Indian unemploy ment rates were about double those of the entire population. The pro portion of families maintained by a woman without a husband present was 50 percent higher than for the nation as a whole. As in other sectors of the popu lation, lower Indian income is linked to poorer health. Using statistics for the two-thirds of American In dians served directly by the Indian Health Service, the report said that the "most significant indicator of Indian health problems is the fact that Indians do not live as long as other U.S. populations." In 1982, 37 percent of Indian deaths occurred among people under age 45; the comparable figure for the entire population was 12 percent. Death rates for Indians in 1980-82 were 140 percent of those for the population generally. "Alcohol abuse is implicated in Indian death and illness from many causes," the report said. The death rate from liver disease and cirrhosis was extremely high-more than four times that of the entire pop ulation. The death rate from acci dents was more than three times as high. Similarly, the tuberculosis death rate was seven times as high, and death rates also were high for diabetes, pneumonia, homicide and suicide. Although the Indian Health Ser vice maintains some units in urban areas, it provides comprehensive care only on or near reservations. In 1984 the !HS physician-to population ratio was 0. 7 per 1.000 persons, less than half that for the United States as a whole, and about three-quarters of the rate for non metropolitan areas. The report said that loose defin itions of eligibility for medical care, together with a high rate of population growth, soon will present a major health care problem. The Indian Health Service Im provement Act expired two years ago, and a long-running dispute be tween Congress and the adminis tration prevented its extension. At issue is how much direction Con gress should give the administra tion on running the !HS; the admin istration is resisting eiforts to force the !HS to provide more services in urban areas and to train personnel. Underlying the dispute is money. In the long run, the report said, cit ing the quarter-blood requirement then rumored and now formal!, proposed, the government must decide whether to provide a iuil range of medical services for all Indians on or near reservations, or to reduce its commitment.
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SYSTENSt3X UORLO OES PLAIH, IL ttOHTHl.V 35,000 -6211 SEP 1986 fl$!Lf!fE1.LE'S ----r; J-. '"1 I { PROPERTY RIGHTS REPORT The Office of Technology Assessment, LI.S. Congress releases l111el/ectual Prop erty Rights in an Age of Elcnronics and ..... lnformarion, a report on the laws and practices affecting property rights in volved in the ownership of writings and inventions. It examines the impact of cur rent and future advances in communica tion and information technologies on the intellectual property system. The study focuses primarily on the Federal copyright system and the con tinuing effectiveness of copyright law as a policy tool with regard to audio and video recorders. computer programs. electronic databases. telecommunication networks and other new technological developments. In addition, the study examines the intellectual property system. including the constitutional basis of intellectual prop erty policy, the system's goals, laws, and economics. and the creative environment. It also discusses problems of enforce ment. the international context, and the Federal role in administering intellectual property rights. Price: $15. Dept. 36-SS, Superintendent of Documents, Washing ton, DC 204-01. 202/783-3238. Circle 135 on reader card ,..,, .,... I I I CHf i-HS f WASHH/G lOtJ, OC 11-T l11ES/Yr~AR 6,000 SEP 11986 -138J BU.fflf.ELL.f?S --Patents and Copyrights 1 r -I A n"e\~ u:s. Government puhlication. "Intellectual Property Rights". notes that Domestic intellectual property law principally the law covering. patents. copyrights. and tradcmarks--:--ts rooted in the United States Constttutton. Under the law. the government is authorized to grant intclle:tuai property rights, not as ;ewards. but as inducements to authors and inventors to create and disseminate intellectual wnrks. The statutory naturc and purpose llf the constitutional :i'lltho rization is stated explicitly in the 1909 Copyright Act. The mechanisms hy which the intellectual property system worked in the past were straightforward. Today. however. technology is complicating this process and undermmmg man/ of the mechanisms that governed the ~vstem in the past. Although Con gress has always had to reckon. with technological change, the new mtorma tion anl communications technologies available today are challenging the intel lectual property system in ways that may onlv be resolvable with substantial cha~ges in the system or wi_th new mech anisms to allocate both nghts and re wards. "Intellectual Property Rights", Oifi..ce of Tech11.oi_ogJ..AMf...~n..ent. U.S. Congress. -siN 052-003-0!036-5. _316 pp, /986 edition. $15.00. Order from Supr. of Documents, U.S. Govt. Pr1111-i11g Office; cash or VISA or Master Card charges acceptable.
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i I .I ) ---i 1ECH mu-ms \JASHHIGTON, DC 1::1-HOHlHLY JUN/Ol/l986 The new agenda on intellectual property rights THE CHANGES that new tech nologies are making in the way information is created, distributed, and used today are as fundamental as the changes made by the printing press. These changes are undermining many of the mechanisms by which the U.S. intellectual property system operates. Congress could make some changes now to relieve immediate problems, but substantial changes in the system during the next ten years are necessary to enco. urage the dissemin~tio of infor_ mation ar,.d knowledge t the public The U.S. Congress __ ~~..c;,f.I.echments in computers, communica tions, and other information technol ogies. Some of the problem areas discussed in the OT A report include the following: Authorship Copyright law, based on originality of works and individual authorship, might become too unwieldy to administer when works involve many authors, world wide collaboration, and dynamically changing materials. Enforcement Vast amounts of copyrighted materials can be copied, reprocessed, and traded without the knowledge or permission of rights holders. Private use Current law is am biguous about whether private re production and transmission of vast quantities of copyrighted works should be allowed. Functional works New kinds of intellectual property that uses infor mation in a process ( computer soft ware, for example), which OT A caJls nology Assessment (OTA), which :::: : :: :::::::::::-:: ::::: .. ...... :,::-:::::.:_:_._-:;,-::,:-: ::--:: ::._.::-.. : ... -.::;;~:::: .. -.. .. heti:is our legislators anticipate and plan for the impact of technological changes in society, makes the fore-going observation in a 299-page re port, Intellectual Property Rights in an Age of Electronics and Informa tion, which was issued in April. (TechTrends readers will recall our interview with the report's principal author, Linda Garcia, in the January ,issue.) i Originally, int,IJ,ectual property i law-especially cdpyright law-was relatively simple. The government granted copyrights to authors arid i patents to inventors. Monetary rewards were determined in the market place. The patent and copyright holders themselves monitored infringements and enforced their rights through the courts. Authors' .. and inventors' interests coincided with the public's interest-to profit from a i copyright, the author had to print his .. J: ;;~~ta~ I : .. hi~~~a~h1;> property sys! ::::< =:=:'.:'.:':::::::::==:::::==:=-::-:;:::: .: :::: ::::;:;;;:;~:; : ::'.;'.;::. .: :. ::. =:~~: :: :_ : .. :.'. :~;:;. :: :. :;~;::::\.;;;~i:f :-:::::'.~_:::;::::::::)~~::.: ::::=:::~: tem is being outpaced by developi I .. i l r ~- ......... ~-,..,..,.,_,. .' ,r-r ___ ,.. -~-~. .. !.:, ..
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functional works, are obscuring the traditional .iistinct,ion between pat entable inventions and copyrightable writings. Derivative use The repackaging of information and creation of new information products, made possible by new technologies, raises ques tions about whether the original copyright holder should control all these new uses. Intangible works Electronic dis tribution of intellectual works might lead to tighter control over public access to information. Educational goals Copyright might fail to meet its intended educa tional goals, because information is increasingly sold rather than shared, is presently prepared tlundertake such a comprehensive sk, some institutional change is ely to be required, the report say Intellectual Property ighls in an A.c:e of Electronics and lnforma1io11 undoubtedly will be the rimary ref erence work in the intell tual prop erty debate in the co ing years. Anyone who needs to informed about this debate simpl must read this document. It is .. table by writing to the u .s. ovcrnment Printing Office, Superi tendent of Documents. Washington. D.C. 20402. The stock number is 052-00301036-4. Cost is $15. ,, ) and some of it might become too ::::: expensive for education institutions. ::::::-::::. ::;~:: ... ... .. Integrity New technologies might be used to misrepresent or distort the work of an artist without his or her knowledge. International coordination The globalization of information markets increasingly requires international cooperation in framing intellectual property law and policy. These problems have no simple answers, says OTA. A solution to ... one problem is likely to cause another. New parties are emerging in the intellectual property debate, and information is becoming a critical fac, tor for the economy and for society f: :->-'==-. as a whole. In making decisions about intellectual property policy, therefore, Congress will have to take into account new issues and new stakeholders and coordinate policy. making among diverse policy areas, according to OTA. To devise sound policies, Con gress must begin now to establish a mechanism to collect and evaluate information about how the system works. Since no government agency ;.;: ... ..-: ...
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I PITTSFIELD, MA BERKSHIRE EAGLE D, 32,700 JUL 23 1986 Supertra.ctors, supercows, superfarnis /nS}Y PLAINFIELD, N:H. THE SUPERTRACTOR of the fu.. t:wlll have sensor 11,ams; sweep ut 20 yards ahead as the t r moves forward. The beams Will detect soil nutrients and feed the Information to the computer In the cab. Taking ground Sl)88d Into account, the computer wllf Issue lnstructlonl to the fertilizer mixer tn the rear. As the tractor passes over each spot In the field, the mixer will deliver exactly the nutrients needed on that spot for what crop for that year. "The farmers will save iillll1ona," said the equipment manufacturer who was describing the super tractor. "They won't have to pay for all those unnecessary fertil!Zers." "Only farmers who already bave millions will be able to afford it," responded an unimpressed bog !armer from Iowa. "And the darn thing will break down Saturday morning rif Memorial Day weekend, and you won't be able to get parts till Tuesday." * That's the way the discussion went at meetings of a panel assem-bled by the O~e of fal~hno,e, AsS!MCnt rot to Fv1eTO~S. Congress aboUt the future of A~erlcan farming. First someone would talk about the incredible productiv ity of. American agriculture and the great technological breaktbrougbs on the,borizon. Then someone else, usually a farmer, would bring us back to reality. Bovine growth hormone, a blotech executive told us,. will be available to dairy farmers before 1990. It Will Increase milk production per cow by 25 percent. "Who needs it?" asked the farm-Donella Meadows is a freelance writer. By Donella H. Meadows _ers. Surplus milk production al ready costs taxpayers nearly S3 billion per year. -Parmers will buy the hormone to get a competitive edge on other farmers. The richest farmers will buy it first. The result will be a decrease in dairy farmers, not an Increase In milk. Everyone expects this result, and not one wants It. But r.ou can't stop prog ress. You can t stop biotech com panies from marketing a hormone and making a profit. After two years of talk and study, the OTA put together a report for Congress, which concluded: "As America enters the era of biotechnology and information tech noloq, agricultural productivity will increase signifcantly, and the structure of a~rlculture and rural communities will change for ever. Approximately one million farms ( aboUt half the current number) will disappear between now and the year 2000, mostly moderate-size and small farms. About 50,000 large farms will then account for 75 percent of U.S. agricultural production." If we totalled up, over the wbole society and Into the future, all the costs and benefits of this agglome ration of farms, we would not call It progress. The people displaced from agriculture are not inefficient hicks. Most of them are forced out not be cause their yields are low, but be cause their competitors are big and have access to special subsidies and tax write-offs. ( Over half of the federal farm subsidies go to the largest 1.2 percnt of the farms.) The nation is losing Independent entreereneurs with expertise, responsibility, and commitment. The rural communities left behind are devastated. The OTA study found that the counties in the U.S. with the biggest farms are also the counties with the highest levels of poverty. Large-scale farming re duces an independent, democratic profession to a feudal system of wealthy landlords and seasonally employed, underpaid laborers. Another unmeasured cost ls the slow degradation of the soils and waters, the healtli of animals, and the quality of foods. Very large scale farming must be done prima rily by machines and chemicals, rather than by human attention and labor. The soil is compacted by heavy equipment and steril!Zed by chemicals. It loses it humus, its mi crobe populations, its ability to re tain water and resist erosion. Fertilizers and pesticides run off to cont~mlnate ground and surface water nimals raised for maximum weight-gain in tight confinement are dosed with hormones and antibiotics. Plants are bred for shipping and processing, not !or taste or nutrition. Large-scale farming gives back to the land only the minimum fertilizer needed for this year's crop. It hypes up a cow's metabolism Without wondering what happens to the quality of the milk or the longevi_ty of the cow, much less to the community of farmers. The. OTA report gives many useful suggestions for preserving the family farm, such as stopping fed. era! subsidies to large-scale farms. It would be possible and even easy to have family-size, highly produc tive farms using modern technologies that enhance rather than cheat the land. But we will never do so until we recognize clearly that the present agricultural system is not working. It is oriented to profit and power, and it is squeezing out those who are oriented to health and sustainability. We need to listen less to the theoreticians who tell us about terrific new tractors and to listen more to the farmers.
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EMMETSBURG. IA REPORTER YI. 2,535 JUL 8 1986 Tom Harkin U.S. Senator b.2._C/ 7V WHEATREFERENDUM:OPTION 'FOR A NEW DIRECTION ~massive government payments and allowing market prices to plummet as a result of overproduction, a man datory program would gradually permit supply to be brought in line with demand. In return, market prices would rebound to profitable levels and farmers would derive their income from the market, instead of a govem ment paycheck. This year, farm program costs will approach $25 billion. With great regularity, the cost estimates of the Any Iowa wheat farmer who procurrent farm program rise. I am con duced 40 acres of wheat during one of cerned that income levels established the last five crop years has the opporby last year's farm bill will soon nmity to cast a very important vote erode, either from further across-the during the next two weeks. board Gramm-Rudman cuts or a new Ballots were mailed out the last round of budget cuts to be imposed by week in June for the non-binding the White House next spring. wheat referendum the results of On the other hand, a well-managed which could serve as an important supply management program could and effective indicator of farmer sensignificantly boost farm income and timent towards current farm policy. bring rural America out of its More to the point, the results could set economic depression. the direction for future farm proA 1985 study by the ~sional grams. Office of Techn~~.il'.._Assessmenf con~ The non-binding referendum is ~e cliiaeaffiitaYpercent acreage result of a farm bill amendment reduction, imposed on existing farm which mandates the Secretary of programs, could result in "a 20 to 300 Agriculture to conduct a poll, by mail percent increase in net farm income ballot, of wheat farmers. The purpose for almost all farms." of the poll is to determine if the I think many farmers realize that farmers favor mandatory limits on their ory hope of economic survival wheat production that would result in rests on the economic benefits of join prices no lower than 125 percent of the ing together in a mandatory program cost of production. that will effectively balance supply There is no question that a vote with demand. against mandatory controls will be inAlthough this vote is non-bincijng, it terpreted as an endorsement of the will be closely watched by farm current direction of farm programs. A policy-makers as an important benvote in favor of mandatory controls is chmark of farmer sentiment. The a vote to reject current policy in favor vote could well influence future farm of a new direction one I support and legislation, not just for wheat, but for one similar to the concept of the farm all commodities. I urge all eligible bill I introduced last year. farmers to vote in favor of the proThe concept is simple. Rather than posal and, a new direction in farm supporting farm income through policies. __ J
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CHILLICOTHE, MO CONSTITUTION TRIBUNE o. 6,240 JUN 26 1986 !l!!#.'lllJ.G ~~tl_~~~::. Mid-Amerie Dairymen report says that a scant says that if the United States that if current farm proTimes, they are 50,000 large farms will accannot compete with other grams of the federal governa'changing. It's being seen, counl for 75 percent of U.S. countries, the reduced exment remain in force, they heard and felt. Rural agricultural production by ports will exaggerate the will accelerate these America is undergoing one the end of the century. basic structural changes changes in the structure of of the most profound. times Main beneficiaries of the that U.S. farmers and rural agriculture and rural com-of change in our history. new t.ecbnologies will be the communities face. munities that support farmWhat's the cause? It's the operatorsofthelargefarms, Although OTA found that ing. new era of biotechnology OTA reports. technology is an important Of special interest to dairy] and information technology. Operators of small and force in changing the strucfarmers are some of the As we learn more about how moderate-size farms, the ture of American points cited by OTA regar to alter the genetic makeup traditional "backbone of agriculture, it is not the only ding farm programs. of plants and animals, and American agriculture," will force. Public policy, instituas we move into a time when be less competitive, partly tions and economics have information becomes allbecause they will be unable had, and will continue to important, things will never to adopt many of the new have, important roles in be the same again. technologies. shaping agricultural com- OTA Report Generally, 70 percent or munities. A report recently released more of the largest farms by Rep-. C_ooper Evans of _are expected to adopt Iowa sketches the broad emerging biotechnologies outlines of the vast change and information technolthat is overtaking the farms ogies. By comparison, only of America and the Main 40 percent of the moderate-Streets of small towns size farms and 10 percent of across the country. Evans is the smallest farms are exa member of the Technology pected to adopt the new Assessment Board, which techniques and methods. works with the Congr!$ Increased Productivity sional Offi<;~. of Teshnology__ These emerging Assessment (OTA). technologies will bring inAccorrung fo the report, creas~ productivity. OTA about 1 million U.S. farms says ti,,. this jump in prowill disappear between now ductivity is needed in order and the year 2000. Most of for American agriculture to the farms that go out of regain its ability to compete busi~ss will be moderate-in international trade.
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I THE FRESNO BEE FRESNO,CA 0. 135,832 s. 161.020 JUN 22 1986 Bv~ [ Technology likely to offset progress. in surplus controls ~Z,11'{ By JOE BIGHAM ?f a b1ot~ogy era in which living orgarusms are used Associated Press to make or change products, plus SACRAMENTO Periodic government attempts to control mas sive crop surpluses by discouraging production are likely to fail because advances in technology encourage more production per unit, some ex perts feel. The 1985 farm bill ties support payments to acreage reductions of up to one-fourth tlua year in such basic crops as wheat, corn, ric:e and cotton because not all the crops of years could be sold, 1n foreign markets depressed by higher world production. The gov ernment also is buying up entire herds of cows in hopes of reducing chronic overproducaon of milk. At the same time, researchers ail across the land -many of them at public universities continually find new ways to get more produc tion from a single acre or more milk from a single cow. Such research has been dramatically successful for decades and is cited by some as part of the reason the United States faces massive surpluses sporadical ly. "Technological development. will remind us of the futility of trying t~ control production by reductions in acreage or the number of cows, maintains John Sdmittker, a private consultant who served as undersec retary of ,wiculture in the Johnson administration. "The implications of the agricul tural research path now being fol lowed will result in a totally revised system of agriculture in 20 to 40 years." he said at a University of California-sponsored seminar. Many current farming practices will become obsolete either because of increased returns per acre or substitute foods, he predicted. American fanning is facing its third technological era of the century, added Michael J. Phillips of the Con~essional Office of Technolofe Assis ance. He termed the first f e me~l era from the 1920s!950s followed by the pesticide-fer tilizer era of the last half century. He said the 1980s are seeing the an information era keyed to com puters and electronic technology to control and manage farm produc tion and marketing. "Many biotechnological develop ments are further off for plants maybe another decade but tradl tional technologies will continue to improve yields; Phillips said. He expects new technology to develop more quickly in animal pro ductton citing growth hormones, embryo transfers and computer controls that could double milk out put per cow. Bovine growth hormone using recombinant DNA to regulate the level of milk production will help increase cow efficiency, but less than some scientists think, said Robert D. Boynton, executive direc tor of the Dairy Institute of California. "With a 9 percent surplus, some people argue that the last thing we need are more efficient cows," Boynton said. All these advances "will make some monumental headaches for policy makers," Phillips conceded. "Large farms will be in' the best position to take advantage of new technologies arising from public research." Phillips predicted that further strides will continue the long de cline in the number of U.S. farms. Moderate-sized farms. especially, will decline, he added. "farmers who are the most ag gressive and effective in adopting new technologies are most likely to survive," Phillips said. But research cannot be inhibited by concern that its successes can cause surpluses. stressed Charles Hess, agriculture dean at UC-Davis. "We must continue to increase ef ficiency of production," Hess said. "That does not mean more unless there is a demand. It means pro duce the same for less because we must assure ourselves and the pub lic that we have a sustainable agri culture and eliminate the adverse effects of environment.
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DES MOINES, IA FARM COMPUTER NEWS MONTIIL Y JUN 1986 Bu~~E.1..1.E~s Technology to kill one million farms In the lines of a study released March 17 by Congress' Qffice of Technolo~ Assessment (OTA), Technology, PiiEIF-Pr.)/lcy, and the Changing Structure of American Agriculture, one may again read the fann ing philosophy of the '70s: Get big or get out. Due in part to the tendency of larger farms to quickly adopt new informa tion and biological technologies, increasing their competitiveness, nearly one million farms-mostly moderate and small-sized operations-will go out of business by the year 2000. 50,000 farms After the shakeout, a mere 50,000 farms will account for 75% of U.S. agricultural production, the study notes. "Unlike so many studies coming out of Washington these days, this OTA study sees a future for agriculture and rural America-if we make the right policy choices now," says Senator James Abdnor (R-SD), vice-chairman, Joint Economic Committee. "Clearly world food production belongs to the innovator." Large farms, big adopters T'-. innovators that are still in busi nes:, -'Y 2000 will see phenomenal increases in agricultural productivity. Milk production per cow is expected to double from 12,000 to 24,000 lbs. In the swine industry, average litter size will rise from 14.4 to 17.4 pigs per sow. Soybean yields will increase 7 bu/acre; average com yields will jump 26 bu/acre. Laying hens are expected to lay 32 more eggs per year. Over 7
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Science ~(ff.9'7y Alternatives to Animals Resean:hels are finding ways to zelhepainsutferedbylaborato,y IL/r3 troduced, such. as reducing the number of animals used and mak ing_the procedures more humane. Three areas in which animals are regularly used are biomedical and behavioral research, toxicity test ing of products, and education in the life sciences. The potential for Animals will continue to play a alternatives varies widely in each significant role in biomedical re-of these areas, says OTA. search, testing, and education for In biomedical and behavioral rethe fofe!'j!"able future, reports the search, alternatives include modiU.S. Ottke of Technology Assesslying current practices in order to I!!JIDl(OTA).Complexpolitical,ethialleviate pain and distress; using cal, and economic issues raised by experimental designs that provide the use of animals are increasingly reliable data with fewer animals; leading animal-welfare advocates using microorganisms, inverteand others to call for development brates, and organ and cell cultures; and use of alternatives. "Most par-using epidemiologic data bases and ties agree that consideration of rechemical and physical systems that placing, reducing, and refining the mimic biological functions; and use of animals is desirable," acusingcomputerprograms thatsimucording to OT A's report, Alternalate biological functions. lives to Animal Use in Research, Another alternative in research Testing, and Education. is to use plants instead of animals. It is unlikely that animal use can Plants presumably do not feel pain, be fully replaced with nonanimal as they lack a nervous system .. ,., methods in most areas of scientific Plant cells may potentially be used .. research, but alternatives can be in-in toxicology and oncology (tumor) -research, says OTA. Toxicity and irritant testing may be a more difficult area in which to substitute animal use with alterna tives, since the federal government's requirements for safe products "implicitly require that the best available means for determining safety be used. Thus, alternatives are not likely to be used widely until they can be shown to be at least as valid and reliable as the tests being replaced," says OT A. The principal alternatives to cur rent practices thus are reducing the number of animals used, avoiding duplication of earlier work, increasing use of anesthetics and analgesics to reduce pain, and using human cell cultures obtained from cadavers. One promising experimental tech nique could one day replace the painful Draize eye irritancy test, widely used to test commercial products. Instead of using live animals, a University of Connecticut surgeon salvages cow eyes from slaughter hous-es and keeps them "alive" in a bath of nutrient solutions called FUTURIST BETHESDA, HO 8I MONTHL V JOOOO AUG/0.1/.1sas QWl.all~'-MWN11' Veterimuy swdent practices cardiopulmonary AMUSCllation technique on a plastic dog mannequin linked to a computer that simulates an arterial pulse. "f!esusd-Oog" has replaced about 100 dogs per year in the training of vetennaty students atlhe New Yori< Slate College of Veterinary Medicine, Comefl lJniverstty, a 1'corneal cup," according to a report in Science News. Fewer animals are currently used in education than in either research or testing, and many alternative methods in education are already accepted practice, OTA reports. These include computer simula tion, cell-culture studies, human and animal cadavers, and audiovisual materials. Some veterinary students are now using computer simulations of canine physiology instead of dissecting dogs. Refine ments of current animal-based methods include using analgesics and observation of intact animals. "Humane education aspires to instill positive attitudes toward life 36 THE FUTURIST, July-August 1~J"\ and respect for living animals," OT A says. "Instruction in proper care and handling of various species may be complemented by exposure to the principles of animal use in research and testing and to alternative methods. This type of education promotes attitudes conducive to the development and adoption of alternatives." Sources: AltmuitWtS to AnmUU Ust m Resarch, Testing, and Education. Office of Technology Assessment, U.S. Congress. 1986. $16. Available from the U.S. Govern ment Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C. 20402. GPO stocknumber052--003-01012. SdenaNews, August 24, 1985, page 125, .1
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MIL WAUKEE SENTINEL MILWAUKEE, WISC D. 183,620 AUG 27 1986 Report examines. automation Of Artlerican White-collar work &1-:,1 V \V..-..,...., D.C. -AP-otftce nored impending developments. in "Admittedly, the bureau at the employmea,t may decline In the those technologies. ... BLS projec-present time has a very small pro-19908 becaue the latest phase of the tions of employment have historical gram called technology studies ... in computer revolution is automating so ly been insensltive to emerging tech which we do look at new technolo-much wtdte,.collar work. nologlcaJ chaqe ." gles. and their. effect on employIn a .Ml-page study; the Office of 'l'be latest BIS employment projecment," ._Kutscher added. Technololf ,Aaaessment has predict. tlons. for. the next decade show a He-said tbatfrequently, productivea ffiit m;: u.mmm, tff!Hds in office slowdown in growth In the nation"s ity increases due toautomation are automatioa. over the next 15 years 20 million clerical employes, the naoffset at least in part by increases in ,among the nation's 45 milllon office tion's largest group of workers. volume of work produced and a workers will be a steady increase in Those projections do not go past maintenance of employment levels. th~ use~of small computers qd the 1995. The congresssional study predicted widespread ltnkup of computer sys-Ronald E. Kutscher. associate that within five years, there may be terns. commissioner of the BLS who is In one computer terminal for every The result will be large increases charge of all work on projections, three office workers. By the tum of in worker productivity that could responded that independent research the century, according to'the 15-year reduce the demand for clerical workbas concluded that his agency is not scenario outlined in the study, comers, and could elimiQ&te some Jobs in underestimating the pace of technoputer terminals are likely to be as the ranks of top professionals and logical change. -A commonplace as telephones. mid and low-level manage~. said ---~-----"'-"==,.---------------the report. "Automation of America's Offices." The report, prepared for the House and Seute Labor committees, said the federal government has consist ently underestimated the speed and scope of technological change now sweepln1 the workplace. "At present, the federal govern ment is poorly equipped to detect or understand early signals of problems arising ,from ,structural changes in the economy related to technology," it added,,;.: ''The c;rltlcal question for Congress "is .. how to improve the capability of the federal government to understand, and thus be prepared to re spond to, techaological and structur al changa. that are occurring In the United States and other advanced ; industrlal nations.'' The study said the Labor Department's Bureall of Labor Statistics "probably greatly underestimated the effects of new Information tech nologla now in IIS_!ylCld largely lg-
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MIL WAUKEE SENTINEL MILWAUKEE, WISC D. 183.620 AUG 27 1986 The boom in use of computer terminals is expected office automation skills to answer the grOWing de to continue according to recent studies. At Manmand. The company has trained more than 100,000 power Inc., temporary help workers are trained In workers. No end seen to terminal boom Wulungton, D.C. -UPI~~7ei ~nals will The report said businesses will be the with soon become as commonplace on office desks as telegreater productivity as automation takes Qver the workphones and much clerical work will be performed at place, but the shift will eliminate many jobs and cha~o home or in Third World countries, according to a recent the kinds of tasks workers bave traditionally performed. congressional report. The congressional Office of Technolol):'. Assessment, which analyzes issues for Congress, precllcfecr ffiere would be dramatic changes in the American workplace both good and bad as a result of office automation. The 348;>age report, "Automation of America's Of fices," said that in five years, one out of every three workers will use a computer, and by 2000, terminals may be as commonplace on office desks as telephones are today. "Office automation ls more than the replacement of typewriters by word processors and of bookkeeping machines by computers. It is a basic and far-reaching chang~ in the technology that supports fundamental eco nomic and social activities," the report said. "As computers and telecommunications become stan dard equipment for office work ail Americans will be affected either as office workers or as users of office products and services." It said the decline in the demand for workers will bave its greatest impact on clerical jobs tbat include mostly women and minorities. but there also will be less need for lower and mid-level managers. "The possibility of reduced employment opportunities in office. work, which provides jobs for nearly half of American workers and has been the strongest source of job creation throughout this century, is clearly something that Congress should watch closely in order to take cor rective actions in a timely fashion," the report said. The volume of clerical work done at home or sent "off shore" to Third World countries also will increase dra matically in the next 10 to 15 years, the report said. By 1990 the report said that between 5 million and 18 mil lion home-based workers will be using computers. And the number of Unlted States firms sending "dataentry" work overseas has increased significantly, and poses the special problem of protectionism for clerical_ jobs in the United States, the report warned. _../
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WHITE COLLAR WASHINGTON, DC MONTHLY JUN 1986 .i!!,..tm4U.rs I Waslaington Window Office Automation at Crossroads by Press Associates &, ;?_ 9 '7 '} In the silent movie "Modern Times." Charlie Chaplin played the part of a factory worker whose sole job all day was to tighten one bolt on an assembly line. After some time on the job, Chaplin cracked as the conveyor belt accelerated. Everything he saw became the object bolt, and he tore around the factory trying to tighten bolt-like things. Chased by supervisors, he broke loose to the street and was dragged away trying to tighten a large button on a female pedestrian's bodice. Chaplin translated with his comic genius the nightmare of the new automation for the factory worker, whose job was reduced to a tedious, repetitive, unchallenging task without any con trol over assembly line speed-ups. Since the era of "Modern Tunes," factory automation is beginning to come full circle in the t:nited States through hard-learned lessons. Today. for exampll:!, the auto industry, the leader in early assembly line production, is attempting to restructure production methods into modular units, where workers can learn and use a wider variety of skills toward greater job satisfaction and higher productivity goals. The newest segment of the U.S. workforce to face automation preslilures are office workers. According to a f!ew report by the congressional Office of Technology Assessmel)t, the wide spread restructuring of office work spurred by computer automation is now at a crossroads. Office automation can go the way of the early factory assembly lines to sacrifice the quality of worklife, the OTA said. or it can evolve into skill ed, good paying jobs that enhance workers' self worth, job satisfaction and corporate input. L' nfortunately for the sd!ne 45 percent of American workers who hold office jobs, employers seem to be taking the low road as the pace of office automation accelerates. In "Automation of America's Offices, 1985-2000," the OTA corroborated earlier reports to find: Office automation is eliminating, merging and simplifying traditional tasks, quickening the pace of work, and decreasing workers' personal control over the work. Productivity gains from office automation are likely to be large and increase over time through substitution of capital investments in equipment for labor, which can reduce time and labor by 15 to 85 percent. Consequently, office automation is likely to produce slowed growth in office employment over the next decade, compared to the explosion of office jobs in previous decades. As jobs are lost through attrition and, more recently, large layoffs, office employment will probably decline after 1990. Slowing growth and job restructuring will have the most negative effect on clerical employ-. ment levels and jobs, especially lower level clerical positions. Although "access to training and the abili ty to learn new skills is essential," the OTA said, office workers increasingly must rely on th,ir own resources for basic training and retraining, placing the already educationally disadvantaged or those with little discretionary time under a further burden. With wornen making up the vast majority of clerical workers, the strain of training and retraining is especially heavy for married women and single parents, especia!IY"With cut backs in federal aid for vocational education and job training. Office automation may strengthen the shift toward pi,i.ri;.cime work and home-based work as employers seek to reduce health insurance, 'laca tion, sick leave and retirement plan costs, thus leaving a growing proportion of the workforce without essential protections. Despite mounting evidence of acute and chronic diseases linked to increased stress caused by office automation. including eyestrain and musculoskeletal problems among video display terminal operators, health and safety protections for office workers have lagged behind those for blue-collar workers. Despite the increased productivity and skill levels produced by office automation detailed by the OTA, clerical wages actually decreased na tionally between 1983 and 1984 by l.5 percent, after adjustment for int1ation. The OTA said that, because office automation will impact every sectol' of the U.S. economy, these emerging problems may require policy intervention. But the government's current abili cy to forecast technology-based structural shifts in the economy is so ''poor" that it may be dif ficult to design and implement timely interven tions, the report said. "If taken too late," the OTA said, policy interventions "may be ineffective and allow un necessary damage to the welfare and stability of people, families and whole communities that are left behind as the economy changes."
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----'---------,-ELECTRONIC HEUS NEIi YORK NY WEEKLY 75,000 SfP 11986 Bv(f,(ffffq ,.;:Jl'' f D. (11,q7'{ Bill Seeks to Bar More Imports for 'Security' WASHINGTON (F'NS) -Legislation has been proposed to rewrite trade law provisions which athorize the President to restrict imports If they threaten the national security. Since Section 23Z of the Trade Act was adopted in 1962, 16 peti tions have been filed, seeking re lief for domestic industries on na tional security grounds. Only pet roleum products have received such relief. All others have been rejected. Senate Minority Leader Robert Byrd m., W. Va.land Sen. William Roth, Jr.
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INTERNATIONAL The Mines of Apartheid Can the West do without SouthAfrica's minerals? Should the West start look ing for ways to replace South Africa's strategic minerals? As the debate over apartheid intensifies, that question may soon become a pressing issue. South African President P. W. Botha has already hinted th~t he might squeeze mineral exports if the West gets tougher with Pretoria. That threat became more worri"me last week, as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 15-2 in favor of tougher but still limited sanctions. Ronald Reagan, in his bid to keep the full Congress from voting a sanctions bill, inched closer toward stiff ening his nearly year-old exec utive order on South Africa. Meantime the danger keeps growing that the conflict may eventually degenerate into a bloodbath or produce a govern ment of vengeful black radi cals. So in the long run the West could lose access to the miner als no matter what it does. So h Africa is a major pplier of many ey minerals. The Reagan administration has yet to undertake a concertSOURCE: U.S BUREAU OF MINES MARTA NORMAN-NEWSWEEK ed program to develop other mineral sources, but a range of U.S. experts inside and outside Washington agree that such an effort is necessary. In addition to reducing America's dependence on South Africa, they believe, it would help reassure U.S. allies in Europe and the Far East who lack large mineral stockpiles. It would also allow Washington to help countries in Afri ca, Asia and South America where alterna tive mineral deposits are located. South Africa is currently the major non communist supplier of several vital miner als,a position thatgivesitpowerfulleverage overthe West.Accordingtothe U.S.Bureau of Mines, it accounts for some 43 percent of the world's output of platinum group met als, which are needed as catalysts for many chemical and refining processes, as agents in cutting automobile exhaust and as com ponents in electronic systems.It produces roughly 31 percent of the world's supply of chromium, a key element in making stain less steel, and 15 percent of its manganese. As the main shipping outlet for Zaire and Zambia, South Africa also has a potential stranglehold over most of the international production ofcobalt,an alloy used in cutting tools and in building jet engines. 30 NEWSWEEK : AUG UST 11 tfif8"6 Until now the West hasn't worked very hard to develop other mineral sources because ""l'l is so easy to mine from South Africa iferensky Reef, a vast geological formation in the Transvaal. Yet other options do exist. '..tw;.Qmg,ressioual Ofwof Technology AssessmeQt recently updated a study concluding tj:iat extra chromium could be mined in Turkey, the Philippines, New Caledonia and the American West. Brazil, Gabon and Australia produce man ganese. Cobalt can be found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Peru, Canada and the United States. The geologi cal formation that produces the Soviet Un ion's large output of platinum runs across the Bering Strait into Alaska and Canada, raising the possibility that more platinum might be discovered there if public lands were opened for prospecting. New invest ments in mines, refineries, railways and highways would also be needed to develop most of these sources. But the additional deposits are there. Substitutes could also be found for many processes involving South African miner als. Stainless steel made with aluminum and manganese rather than chromium works well for many applications. Other metals and ceramics can replace platinum as a catalyst, although they are less efficient. It is also now possible to recycle much of the platinum used in automobile-exhaust converters. Reagan administration officials say they are already doing enough to gird against a cutoff of South African minerals. They point out that the U.S. government is spending more than $1 billion a year on mineral research, between the Bureau of Mines, the Geological Survey and the Department of Energy. But many congress men think that's not enough. In 1984 Congress passed the National Critical Ma terials Act. Among other things it allocated $500,000 a year for a White House council to search for ways to reduce U.S. vulner ability. The White House took 18 months to appoint an executive director and three members, however, and since then two members have left for better jobs. Congres sional sources charge that the administra tion is dragging its feet because of its ideological opposition to tampering with free-market forces. Rhodesian example: Experts are quick to point out that searching for other mineral sources may inflict only limited pain on South Africa. History suggests that it would not lack for other buyers: when the U.N. imposed an embargo on Rhodesia's chrQmium in the 1960s, for example, many governments ignored it. The strategy could benefit the Soviet Union, since right now it is the other main international supplier of platinum, manganese and chromium. Pre toria has also started taking steps to pro tect itself in case the West tightens the economic screws. It has started to hoard oil, for example. Botha is also said to have assigned Fred Bell, the former general manager of the government-run arms cor poration Armscor, to serve as his point man in plotting strategies for weathering sanc tions and trade boycotts. Yet even if the impact is limited, the West may soon find a hunt for alternatives difficult to avoid. Logistically, it would offer the advantage of being easier to sustain than a trade embargo, the approach that the House voted for in June and that Democrat Edward Kennedy and Republican Lowell W eicker are now pushing for in the Senate. And strategically it may soon be a matter of necessity, given the rapidly dete riorating situation inside South Africa. Even some supporters of Reagan's policy now concede the point. "For various rea sons," says William Pascoe, a policy ana lyst at the conservative Heritage Founda tion, "a shutoff of South African minerals is a growing likelihood." That means sooner or later the-West may well have to start getting its minerals elsewhere. KIM WILLENSON in Washington with ARLENE GETZ in Cape Town
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CHEMICAL ENGINEEBINI NEWYORl.1.Y. E. 0. WIEKil,111 JUL 7 1986 ---}-" ._ --,~----------,,-,,a~,,,,.,,,-,,,.-,.,,.,.---------OSHA learns to walk softly while carrying a bigstick--For the past year, the agency has been nurturing a good relationship with industry while acting tough on violators. A new director will now guide these efforts. 0 -;-f\ t.,:... 1'7 '/ The recent appointn\ent of John A. Pendergrass, a 3M industrial hygienist, as head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides a strong clue to the image that OSHA officials want to f os ter. "We're trying to be safety and health professionals," says outgoing director Patrick R. Tyson. OSHA and its parent, the U.S. Dept. of Labor, also are trying to depoliticize a situation in which critics charge that the agency has failed to live up to its legislative mandate to prevent illness and inju ry in the workplace. Indeed, during the past year, OSHA has been engaged in a bal ancing act, trying to improve relations with in dustry while bolstering its enforcement image. "Ever since the Reagan the need for OSHA standards, "most of the standards set by OSHA have been criticized by nearly all parties for different reasons." One of the greatest faults, OTA claims, is the time OSHA takes to issue new standards or revisions. In the agency's first 13 years, until 1985, "OSHA issued only 11 new or revised health standards concerning 24 specific chemical substances," two of which were overturned in court, OTA notes. While enforcement chief Miles thinks that the less adversarial approach "works a lot better," the OTA study questions whether it "may have further reduced an already weak regulatory effort." OSHA's historic Administration has OSHA's John A. Pendergrass been in, we've always weakness in regulating ethylene oxide and other toxic chemicals, for example, is part of the said we would work with employers," notes John B. Miles Jr., OSHA director of field operations. He adds, however, that since Labor Secretary William E. Brock stepped in about a year ago, OSHA officials have exhibited another tack, which is to "go after them [employers] with strong penalties" when violations are found. Brock is willing, former OSHA boss Tyson says, "to take someone out and give them a good woodshed treatment." Although Tyson reports that the feedback on how well OSHA has managed this strong-but-reasonable approach lately is "90% positive" from both employers and employees, the agency has a weak record to live down. BAD REPUTATION -An Office of Technol-0 :tudy released last year, efore son took over, noted that, despite a general agreement on -, evidence now being used by some Congressional leaders to attack the Office of Management and Budget's (0MB) right to review federal regulations. The critics charge that efforts by OSHA and other agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to produce regulations have been stymied by 0MB for mainly economic reasons. The inability of previous OSHA directors to work with 0MB also has been a factor. Ironically, govern ment sources predict that if the pres sure continues, 0MB may be forced to untie OSHA's hands. NEW STANDARD -Under the guidance of Tyson, who was a career civil servant, and with the strong backing of Secre tary Brock, steps have been taken to toughen the agency's image. The most dramatic breakthrough for OSHA has been the hazard-communication stanI ..
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NATION'S HEALTH WASHINGTON, D.C. MONTHLY 35,000 AUGa 1986 l!!!J4.II.U'8 President Signs Expanded s~afe Drinking Water Act ___ -_ ;,~ ':). 9 7' y by Kathryn Foxhall ,' In the face of growing evidence that hazardous wastes and otha s~l>sj.8D.ces are contaminating the nation's drinking water supply, recently Congreea paned everwhehaincly and President.Reagan signed a new, tougher.vusi of the 12-year-old Safe Drinking Water Act. It.ia the fint major piece of environmental legislation to pass this Congress. A majo,:.ov.erhaul of oa of the silt or seven key pieces of national enYironmental leaialatioa. the bill brinp whole list.a of new protections. including a provision for forcing the -Environmental Protection Agency to set atandarda limiting the contaminant levels in drinking water for 83 substances. over a schedule of three years. One of the-major impetuses for the law was the fact that since the original bill was passed in 197-4 EPA has set these maximum permitted levels for only about 24 substances, out of the hundreds of possible contaminants in drinking: water. The new law also provides protectiom aimed at keeping contaminants out of groundwat.er, the aource or drinking wat.er for about half of the nation's popu lation. There has been alarm over findings of more contamination in groundwater in recent years because groundwater is very slow to cleanse itself once it has been polluted. Among other provisions the legislation places new strictures on the injection of wastes into underground injection wells; and requires that each state submit a program within three years to protect "wellhead" areas from. con tP"llinan~ that may have adverse effects on health. A wellhead protection a. ... a is defined as, "the surface or subsurface area, surrounding a water well or wellfield supplying a public water system, through which contaminants are likely move toward and reach the well or wellfield." In pushing for passage of the bill, legislators had pointed to reports such as one from the Qffise gf Tucbooloa Asses!!JJlent which said that 29 percent of groundwater supplies or 954 US cities are contaminated and an EPA report that 45 percent of these public water systems contain organic chemicals.
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GrOWld Water IDs: Many Diagnoses, Few Remedies I :; ___, Concern aliout pollution of ground water is growing) but legislative remedies remain elusive F ROM California to Florida, the nation's ground water, a vast unseen resource beneath the earth's surface, is far more polluted by a greater number of contaminants than previously believed. The more authorities sample underground wa ter, the more they are finding toxic chemicals, pesticides, and other possibly hazard ous substances. According to growing con sensus among authorities in government, industry, and environmental groups, the trend indicates a serious environmental problem that merits national attention. But tew agree what the regulatory solutions should be. The biggest concern is the potential health threat posed by drinking contaminat ed ground water. Half the nation depends on ground water, rather than lakes and rivers, for potable water. According to gov ernment estimates, thousands of wells across the nation have been closed because the concentrations of toxic substances exceed federal safe drinking water limits. With oth er ground water supplies, where pollutants have been detected in trace amounts, the fear is that long-term exposure may eventually lead to health problems. Although data on manv pesticides are often scant regarding } potential health effects from low-level, chronic exposure, many state and federal officials take the position that exposure to polluted water should be minimized as a precaution. The contamination of ground water is a particularly troubling environmental problem because, unlike the pollution of air or lakes, ground water is inaccessible, making cleanup virtually impossible. Also, purifving ground water tainted with toxic substances is expensive; in its pristine state, ground water can generally be used with little or no additional treatment, such as chlorination. But chlorination only kills bacteria and does not neutralize toxic substances. Americans depend heavily on ground water for drinking and irrigation. Last year, the nation pumped 100 billion gallons of water per dav from ground water, a 12% increase over 1980 figures, according to estimates by the American Institute of Professional Geo!-1490 ogists. Ground water is the main water supply for drinking and irrigation for 95% of the country's rural households and one third of the nation's 100 largest cities. The federal government estimates that roughly 1 to 2% of the nation's ground water is at least moderately polluted by "point sources" alone, such as leaking landfills or hazardous waste dumps. "Although this may seem small, it is significant because Marion Mlay of EPA savs the current statutes protea ground water and that no new laws are needed. contamination is often near heavilv populat ed areas where ground water is being increasingly relied on for a variety of uses," says the Reagan Administration's Council on Environmental Qualirv in its most recent annual report,* which was published in March. Eugene Patten, chief of ground water branch at the U.S. Geological Survev, says that the extent of the ground water pollution is even greater if agricultural use of chemicals is factored in. Estimates of ground water pollution are based largely on best guesses because there has not been svstematic monitoring nation wide, but the pollution is believed to be common because of the wide range of sources. In addition to hazardous dumps, lagoons, and ponds, and agricultural use of pesticides and fertilizers, pollution sources include corroding septic tanks, mining activ ities, radioactive waste sites, and the deicing of roads with salts. According to the Office ofTechnology Assessment (OTA), which in 1984 published-a-lengthy report on ground water quality and protection, t there are gaps in information about potential con tamination of private wells and few reliable figures on the number of hazardous waste sites, leaking underground storage tanks, and other polluting sources. But, the OTA report says, "Despite the paucity of quantitative details, sufficient in, formation is available ... to justify national action to protect ground water quality." And, the report warns, ground water con tamination will likelv increase. "For many ground water supplies, our problems are just beginning," says George Hallberg, chief of the Iowa Geological Sur vey. Consider these examples: The California Department of Health Services says in a report soon to be released that pollutants in one-fifth of the state's large drinking water wells fed bv ground water exceed the state's pollution limits, according to David Storm, head of the survev. Industrial solvents, often potential human carcinogens, are the most common contaminants, especially around Los Angeles and Silicon Vallev. According to a March srudv bv the Iowa Department of Water. Air and Waste Management, pesticides and other svnthetic chemicals have been detected in half of Iowa's city wells. Nitrate concentrations, due to fertilizer use, have exceeded the federal limits in one-fifth of the private wells in Iowa. Although moderate levels of nitrates are relativelv nontoxic, high concentrations can cause acute anemia in infants and set olf a chain of events that could result in the formation of N-nitrosamines, which are potential human carcinogens .. In Florida, where the subsurface of sand and limestone acts like a sieve, more than 1000 wells have been shut down as drinking water sources because thev are contaminated with the nematocide EDB (ethvlene dibro mide), a potential human carcinogen. The average contamination level was 6.5 pans per billion; the state limit on EDB in drink ing water is 0.1 ppb. EDB was banned for most uses bv the federal government in 1983, but it is still showing up in well samples. The state has appropriated S3 million and Dow Chemical, a former maker of EDB, has contributed about S250,000 to supplv potable water to communities that depended on these wells. For decades, it was widelv assumed that ground water was impervious to contamina tion because soil would bind chemicals and SCIENCE, VOL. 232
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/Ce.r,:11J1ics, Polymers, ColTlpositesl Are a Key for US Manufacturers ,~1t New strucfural materials, such as ceramics~ polymers, metals and composites, bold the promise to renew the OS's internatQ>nafoompetitiveness in manufacturing, according to a report released last week by~e (;,apm:essiona) Of(i~~o~!_n~
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BUll.OIHG DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION CHICAGO, IL HONTHLY 70,000 -9S4 AU61986 lfffffO Technology's impact on the industry cited CoDBtruction experts say its iatroduction is beiag slowed by indu11try lra,rmentation, other cODBtraiats / Although the changes are seldom obvi ous to casual observers, the construc tion industry is being reshaped, in some cases radically, by new technolo gy. However, many attractive new technologies are being adopted slowly because of the industry's fragmented nature, the failure of clients to demand innovation, the shortage of research funding from public and private sourc es, a regulatory structure poorly adapted to rapid technical change and fear of litigation. These are among the findings of a Panel on Technical Change and the U.S. Building Construction Industry convened in 1984 by the C9ngressional Office of Technology __ .As111"sme11t (OTA>:The proceedings were recently published by the American Institute of Architects under the title ''Technology and the future of the U.S. construction industry." The proceedings contain presenta tions by the panel's 17 participants. In an overview article, Henry Kelly, an OTA senior associate, said it is clear that most buildings will need to be adapted to a variety of different pur poses during their lifetimes. Structures dedicated to a single purpose, and those that cannot be upgraded to accommodate modem communication systems and energy efficiency techno logies, are increasingly unattractive investments. Kelly said that relationships be tween building owners and tenants are likely to change in ways that blur the formerly clear distinction between the building shell and the apparatus intro duced into the building by tenants. For example, tenant-supplied lighting could be better matched to require ments than an overall system. Not surprisingly, the impact of computers was frequently addressed. ''The increasing competitive pressure for speed and cost control make it difficult for the average architect to produce an average building with much imagina tion, unless there are some fundamental changes in the design process," Kelly said. "Computer-assisted design systems may enable such changes." He also noted that computer-as sisted construction equipment is being introduced for two primary purposes: replacing people in hazardous circum stances and improving precision. For example, control equipment can "remember" critical lift heights and swing restrictions. Panelist Charles H. Thornton, presi dent of the structural engineering firm of Lev Zetlin Associates, said that re ducing the time span from project con ception to occupancy is an area where major changes will occur in the next decade. "The big revolution is going to be the interfacing of the software in the computer systems within the de sign office with the rest of the con struction team, and right now that hasn't happened," he said. lllterfilcing computer syltellls "Designers should get closer to the construction process through their computers and link the deeign to the construction by taking contract docu ments and converting them into mill orders and shop drawings to bring the whole process together," Zetlin added. Thornton said that although design professionals have been trying to dis tance themselves from the construc tion process due to liability concerns, he believes they are coming to the realization that they must have a larger role in it. Further justification for more involvement is that one-third ofa project's cost relates to interim financing. Thornton said he does not foresee any major impact from new structural materials unless they can be as cost competitive as steel and concrete. He noted that concrete costs only about 6 cents per pound, and fabricated and erected steel about 60 cents per pound. The in-place cost of either material generally ranges from to $6 to $8/sq. ft. Most members of the panel were concerned by the shortage of construc tion research funding, with virtually all of it being conducted by component suppliers and not by the industry it self, Kelly said. ''The professional asso ciations ofbuilders and architects have research budgets that are tiny in pro portion to the industry they support," he said. The 153-page, soft cover book is available (order number R402) from the AIA Bookstore, 1735 New York Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006. The cost is $23.95 for AIA members and $33.95 for non-members. 0
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TV CLIPS DATE TIME STATION LOCATION PROGRAM DATE TIME NETWORK PROGRAM 75 EAST NORTHFIELD ROAD LJVINGSTON NEW JERSEY 07039 (201} 992-6600 (800} 631-1160 August 25, 1986 5:00-6:00 PM WUSA-TV(CBS) Channel Nine Washington Eyewitness News Bob Althage, co-anchor: ACCOUNT NUMBER NIELSEN AUDIENCE 10/6297 Y 242,000 In the mid-1990s astronauts from the Un.ited States, Canada, Europe and Japan are scheduled to start living on an international space station. That's presented Congress w1ll an unusual problem: whose laws will the astronauts live by? Congress' Off ice of Technology Assessment has just issued a report on that subject. The report recommends an international agreement be reached before anyone boards the station. August 25, 1986 ACCOUNT NUMBER 6:30-8:30 AM NIELSEN AUDIENCE Entertainment and Sports Programming Network Nation's Business Today Lee Thornton, co-anchor: 10/6297 Y N/A How will the long arm of the law reach out into space, as plans for an international space station move forward? That is the question being considered by Congress' Office of Technotogy Assessment. Should special space sheriffs be appointed to administer space laws? What about product liability laws on goods manufactured in orbit? The OT A suggests that those tricky lega I questions dealing with commerce, property and business transactions should be spelled out before Western nations make any kind of orbiting city. An international space station is scheduled to be established by the mid-1990s. 65 Words 5 Clips Video cassettes are available in any format for a period of four weeks from air date from our affiliate: VIDEO MONITORING SERVICES OF AMERICA, INC. (212)736-2010 I
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FINANCIAL TIMES LONDON,ENBLAND OAIL Y 211,460 SEP aJ,)J}J ~,..,~...--Americans ponder space station laws BY PETER~RSH IN LONDON r,-;.011 AMERICAN nists who practise their crime on US-Owned space sta tions had better watcll out Arson in outer spice, along with receiving stolen property, malicious mischief, false pretences and mur der, is among 12 criminal activities which as long as they are committed by a US national come under the jurisdiction of federal courts. Any US astronaut who violates even the most innocuous order from the National Aeronautics and. Space Administration can, under ius law, be fined up t.o $5,000 and in ,carcerated for a year. i However, the position is far less :clear if, for example, a Japanese 'scientist assaults an American colteague while the two are engaged in :technical activities in an orbiting 1outpost. As for commercial rights over in ventions such as exotic alloys or drugs which scientists might pro duce in extraterrestrial workshops, patent experts are still confused as t.o the set of legal codes which will apply. These points are not as academic as they might seem. The US is dis cussing with Japan, Canada and 11 European nations a scheme t.o build an international manned space sta tion by the 1990s. With the final go-ahead for the scheme due next year, governments are now waiting up t.o the fact that special laws may be needed t.o regu late activities on the station. The Office of Technology Assess ment, a research body of the US Congress, has dived int.o the issue with a 76-page memorandum on the subject. "Current international space laws are little more than agreed funda mental principles," says the office. "No efficient mechanisms exist for applying these principles t.o specific cases." The report warns that uncertainty over issues such as product liabil ity, intellectual property rights and export laws could inhibit companies from starting up innovative activi ties on the space station, in research int.o new materials, for ex ample. One obvious answer is for the US, which suggested the space station in the first place, to draw up its own space code and expect the other na tions to comply with it. "Such a solution may be politi cally unacceptable to the other space station partners," says the re port. If the US pressed ahead with such a course of action, the other participants could leave the discus sions about the base altogether, the office warns. In criminal law, an effective way to proceed may be to establish agreements between the US and the other nations to permit courts in individual countries to try cases relating to specific crimes. Such agreements would be simi lar to those already reached under international maritime law. For tort and patent laws, new codes may need to be painstakingly worked out a process which would keep lawyers busy for decades and which could constitute a brand new source of fees for the world's legal profession. Space Stations and the Law: Selected legal Issues, Office of Technolo 'gy Assessment, Washington DC 20510.
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SAN FRANCISCO CHRONIC LE The Voice of the West 0. 53~.800 s. 487.233 SEP 16 1986 BvRRElfO ("" ..... -. :~ / tiv~-~g i~ ~pace. .;~;~::.,_ J2~~es~io~:~~if: i 0taWS There --~-t ; '' .. ,~i ,c-Pc ;., ,, .:J: 1 wastiiiimn~:.f.:~~J.i'ht help resolve complex ,urlsdictional problems, it said. It said Con11ress may wish to encuura~e profebSional le~al Siet i-es. such as the American Bar Asso,. l'iation. to form working groups to examme the leqll implications of ~pace state ctev-el.Jpment and opera tion." STf\RS AHO STRIPES WASHINGTON, DC WEEKLY SEP l 1986 !!!!!J.~ A Lawless SpaceWhich Laws Apply? People livina and workina on the ,~ station may not enjoy the protectioo of many of the laws tbat we take for fll'1Ulled oa earth-laws that r,plate commerce, property, and penoaal interactiom, accor .. diq to a llacqround Paper reJeu. od by the Coocreuional Office of TechJ!l!!i!IJ~!!@!IQ.!xr,Some laws onJy pertain within the territory of the United States; others may contain language that has no obvious meaning when ap plied to space, OTA says. For ex ample, the Uniform Commercial Code is essential to U.S. commerce, but many or its provisions-such as its defmitions of wb.at is movable and immovable-may have to be rethought to rn the unique condi tions of the space station. If they are not, commercial activities on the space station could be inhibited by legal uncertainties. One of the most impartant issues that needs to be resolvod in the onaoiq nClotiations amona: rhe space station partDers i.t wbicb counuy bu the risht to make and enforce rules of law, 11<:COrdiq to OTA. If all parts of the space Sta tion were under U.S. jurisdiction, U.S. I& could be more easily applied and enforced. However sllcb a situation may be politically unacceptable to the otber space station partDers-Europeu Space Agency, Canada, and Japan, In tbe United States, m01t l&ws affectlns the ricbtJ of individuall l {e.g personal injury. contracts. property. wills and estates. employee's compensation, etc.) are State laws, not Federal laws. Because these laws vary fromState to State, it is essential to determine how State law will be applied to life on the space station. Altboughncgotiationsbetween the United Staces and its spll;e scauon panners are not complete, Con grcssional attention to a number of !cpl issues could be beneficial, according to OT A. In the near term, Concrcss could bqin to: I) identify Federal and states l&ws which already apply to the space station and those that should apply: 2) resolve que,tiol1JI or power sharing betwFederal and state laws and couns u they relate to the space station; and, 3) monitor che space station qreemenu to ensure that they pro .. tecc the fW1clam
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Q;hr ;NrUl '.\]nrk (i;imrn NEW YORK. it'/. D \,34 530 SUN. 1,553.720 ,~1. 731,545 AUG 28 1986 BUR/if.Eu.E'S The Law and the Last Frontier './v'i7,/ Si,ecaal to The New York /hW ASHINGTON, Aug. 'l:T -Suppoae you were an American citizen who lived in outer space and you invented a new gadget, a widget of the future. Would it be protected under United States patent laws? If you accidentally dropped your in i vention and it flew, or floated, into the face of a compatriot or someone who was not an American, would you be li able for the medical bills? Congress thinks it is time to discuss these questions now. Anticipating that Americans and Europeans will live together in multi national space stations within the neKt several decades, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation asked the Office of Technology Assessment to take a look at the legal questions such stations would raise. A result is "Space Stations and the Law: Selected Legal Issues," a report that concludes that although it would be silly to plan now for every legal contingency in outer space, it is not too early to start envisioning the possibilities. The report. nine months in the making, says questions of jurisdiction and ownership are particularly perplex ing. Assuming that the United States and other nations might jointly launch and own a space station but maintain separate jurisdictions over their individual space modules, the report asks: What would happen if a United States astronaut were killed in a space station because of the negli gence of another Umted States astronaut or a foreign astronaut? Under current law, the report says, the dead astronaut's family could not file a claim for damages in either the United States or the foreign country. 'Our First Murder In Space' Ralph Steinhardt, who teaches courses in international and space law at Gebrge Washington University and who joined other legal and space experts last May in a panel discus s10n that formed the basts for much of the O.T.A. report, says such specula tion is not far-fetched. ln fact. "in 30 or 40 years," he said the other day, "we're going to have our first murder in outer space.'' One of the authors of the report, Ray A. Williamson, a senior analyst of energy and materials at the Office of Technology Assessment, says that as multinational space programs pro !if erate, so do their legal implicat10ns. "Many of the laws enacted by earth bound situations may or may not be applicable to space," he said. Existing space law worked fine In the salad days of space exploration, when the issues were more simple, experts say. A number of nations fashioned agreements in the last several decades. The most wide-ranging, the 1968 Outer Space Treaty, which was signed by 85 countries, tried to gen erally define nations' behavKJr to. ..... J!:, + X ._J_f._ \ \_,,...,....~, .J-., + )( ~- \.-[ __ ~\\ .... Suppose a B~ton Assaults a Yank Excerpts from the report by Con ress's O ice o Technolo Assessment, pace tattons an the L&w: Selected Legat Issues,,: Suppose the United States and Great Britain jointly own a space station but maintain separate jurisdiction and control over their separate space modules. Now, further suppose that a British astro naut assaults a U.S. astronaut while the U.S. astronaut is in the British module. There is no doubt that the United States would have the jurisdiction to pass laws pro hibiting such conduct; whether the United States would have some jurisdiction to enforce such rules would depend on whether it had some prior agreement with the British Government. Lacking an agreement with the British ward "outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies." More specific agreements esta~ lished guidelines on where to install an object in space and how to assign blame if it suddenly plummeted from the sky into foreign territory. This has happened a number of times, most spectacularly in 1979, when debris from the United States owned Skylab fell on and around Australia. If there had been any major damage, the Umted States would have been liable under terms of the 1973 Liability Convention, an agreement between Governments and private industry here and abroad "These kind of questions have clear and definite answers now," Mr. Wil liamson said. But with new programs like President Reagan's proposed Strategic Defense Initiative, in which several countries are involved in developing new technology, tricky new questions of patents, intellectual property, criminal law and tort law are arising, including questions about personal liability in space. "The joke around the panel," Mr. Steinhardt said, "was that on land we have tnp and fall cases, but in zero gravity space there'd be trip and rise cases.'' According to Mr. Williamson, space technology might be affected not only Government, the United States would not have jurisdletion to en force these laws in the parts of the space statiOn under British jurisdiction and control. The Inventions Secrecy Act presents some difficult problems for foreign nationals working on a U.S. or jointly owned space station. For example, a French astronaut who reduces an idea to practice on a U.S. space station would be forced to file for a U.S. patent or an exemption from the Act, or risk having the patent being declared invalid in the Umted States. To the extent that such problems could limit the success of the space station, every effort must be made to achieve some type of international coordin.on. by international law but al,so by state law. "If you had a U.S. module reglstered in the state of Texas, Texas might claim jurisdiction/' he said. "These are the type of queslions that need to be pursued. not today. but in the future," he added. "We don't need to figure out every iittle situa tion that might arise now, but we need to think about them so when the ac tual situation comes up we'll know which direction to take.'' There Are No Precedents Posmg broad, philosoph1cal ques tions in international space law, such as where the atmosphere ends and where space begins. "is one of those ideas that comes and goes," Mr. Steinhardt said. Such debates were popular !n the 1960's, he added, but have been lately replaced by more pressing practical concerns about outer-space technology and research. One of the hardest things about developing laws for space, experts say, is that there are no precedents. Experts draw on maritime and air law, both of which concern mtetna~ tional questions of junsd.1ction, but the examples do not go far enough. "These are useful anaiog1es, but you can't just take the analogy whole and move it into space,'' Mr. Williamson said. "You have to make sure the various peculiar aspects of space are taken into account."
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HATURE LONDON, Ell Wl::EKL \' 30, 000 AUG 28 1986 Bvq~ Space station Taming the last lawless frontier commander has broad authoritv to en force discipline. But if a British cistronaut were to assault an American astronaut in the British portion of a space station, L'S laws could not be enforced without a prior a2reement. Washimuon (_; ,;_ --/ ALTHOl"h7 Out...:r Space Treaty estahlishcd ,tm1e ha'.'>ic principles ~o\c_rning countrii:s n.:~pon~iflilith::-; and liabilities in ..,pace. it tl.!uVC'.-. many questu1ns unanswered. OTA rl.'-.:0111111cm.b that (\)ngre:-.s start thinking 339 L ONDOH TiliE5 LONDON, EN DAIL\' 456,557 ;AfUROAY AUG 30 1986 {!11g,1gru..a ,_-_iegal eagles soar into outer space Fro~ Paul Vallely New York Americas lawyers. already legendary in their pursuit of fresh areas of litigation and profit. have a new mission: to boldly go where no man has .been before in search of a split infimty. There will be money to be made from lawsuits in outer space which. according to a new repon, will require the ernlu11on of a "hole new body of nauonal and mternational law. in JO or 40 ,cars we're going to have our tirst murder in outer space: sa;s Professor Ralp_h/ Steinhardt of the George Washington Universitr Law School. who was one of the consultants on the repon. But there may be more immediate kgal problems. Suppose )OU were the in\entor of a new manufacturing process in the zero gra\ lly of an internatrnnal space station: where could you patent it'? What would your liab11it, be 1f \OU were the employer of a space worker seriously 101ured in the outer sphere? With President Rea gan's recent annoucement of his intention to priva1ize the !Junchrng of commercial satdines. such issues have be coml' more real 10 the .-\.mcncan business world. \;o,, a reporr h!--the Coneress\ Ollice of Technol nq, S:,,,s,w.;.ru. t otA_1 has 111d1ratcJ that the lack of space !a'A couJd prove a sigmticant disincrnti,t."' C'lc-i:ause it o.dds l'.,tra k-irnl n~ks lo the consid aablc Pracw:al .;ind financial ones already involved. ""Its maJor conclusion ,s that. though there 1s no press ing urgency. we need to look at the whole area before anvone gets into trouble." Dr Ray W ,lliamson. of the OT.-\. sa,d ,esterdav. "Laws we take for granted here on Eanh will not necessarily apply m space." E.\isting laws the most comprehensive of which is the I 96 7 Outer Space Treaty. which was signed by more than 80 nations deal wnh issues such as bannmg count~ies from proclaiming sov~r ,:ignty o, ..:-r celesual bodies and how to a.1s,gn blame 1fone ,ounir-1s satelli1e falls to Eonh causing damage. But. the rcpon says. they do not cov...-r matters such as a Jrad L"S astronaut's famllv alleging that death resulted from the negligence of a foreign astronaut in an inter national station. Junsd1ct1on 1s considered the most 1mponant issue to resolve. Dr Williamson said. \Jany questions of patent. tort and liabillly are depen dent on that. "To establish that will re quire both legislation by na tiona,I governments and internauonal agreements. .-'.t the moment it 1s already a matter of some dispute: some equatonal coumnes contend that satellites m geo-stal!onarv or b11 ;ibo,e them should be in their Jun-sdiction. There :.1re man., 1ssut:s to be resolved." But if the law,ers are ranng to go. the same cannot be said for the L'S space industry. which has had six i;rnnch failures :imce Januar).' t
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FAMILY PRACTICE NEWS NEW YORK.NY SEMI-MONTH('/ 71,300 AUG 15 1986 ... ,,. Shock Wave Therapy for Renal Stones Wins Physician Approval ~iq7y EXTRACORPOREAL shock wave lithoso that more treatments can be done on tripsy, a nonsuigical method of disinteone machine and the per patient cost of grating urinary calculus deposits by the operations can be reduced. bombarding them repeatedly with shock Other modem alternatives to open waves generated outside the body, has surgery for removal of stones involve won the approval of both physicians transurethral or percutaneous introduc and patients since it was approved by tion of fragmentation devices; these al the Food and Drug Administration in tematives include electrohydraulic litho late 1984 for the treatment of upper tripsy, which is most successful in re urinary stones, accordjJig to a report by moving bladder stones using shock the congressional Office of Technology waves generated by an. electric spark, Assessment. and ultrasonic lithotripsy, which is most The OTA, a nonpartisan agency that effective in the removal of renal stones analyzes issues for Congress, says ex-and employs sound to produce the frag tracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy menting energy. (ESWL) is now the preferred treatment Power lithotriptors utilizing laser en for most renal and vesical stones and is ergy or microexplosion techniques are considered safer, more effective, and being tested but have not yet been ap also cheaper than the traditional "open" proved for use in the United States, surgery. the report notes. Fifty ESWL systems had been in-Although several firms in the United stalled in the United States by the end States and abroad are developing extraof 1985, and some experts say that is corporeal lithotriptors, the only com enough to serve the entire nation's depany ~ently authorized to sell them mand for urinary stone removal. is Dornier Medical Systems, of West The cost of an ESWL system is Germany, which also is testing a device high-approximately $2 million. There-to disintegrate gallstones and is work / fore, the OTA recommends that units be ing to apply lithotriptic technology to \ installed at only a few regional centers other health problems. \ ....
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FINANCIAL TIMES LONDON,ENGLANO DAILY 218,460 AUG 8 1986 BVR(l!H! r,~.The elusive value of scientific spin-offs 1p~,1j CAN THE economic return from scientific research be measured? In recent years this question has preoccupied technology administrators in much of the Western world, both in government and private Industry. In particular, the British tovernment has recently shown Interest In assessing economic &pin-off from research, both to determine which schenws show the greatest commercial results and as a guide to the type of research and development (R&D) activities to back in th~ future. Efforts to find simple quan, titative links between reasearch and economic wellbeing may, however, he doomed to failure, according to a study by the US QQjce pJ Jechl!'!)0,&y Assess, 111ent (OTA), a research arm of Congress. Addressing US Governmept funded research. the study~ says "using economic returns to measure the value of specilk,' or general federal research expenditures is an Inherently ft awed approach." In the US industry, research managers are, says the report, generally sceptical of quantitative techniques to evaluate technical programmes. Managers find them to be "simplistic, inaccurate, misleading and subject to serious misinterpre tation!" The report makes the point that the path bet ween the gestation of Ideas at the re search stage and their application in a new product or process Peter Marsh on the difficulties faced in measuring the economic returns from research may be extremely comp,icated. The pay-offs from the applications may be .. too diverse and Incommensurable to allow quantitative models to take the place of mature, Informed judgment." Economists have tried for years to link R & D to economic Indicators such as productivity increases or gains in gross domestic product. In specific areas such as agri culture, aviation and health care, a series of US studies have attempted to show the relationship between levels of government research spending and, for instan~e. crop yields, aircraft sales and general economic benefits through fewer people being unwell. Other work has attempted to show the US economy has benefited from space industry *' spinoffs. u Though such studies have some value In illustrating general trends, ,ny quantitative results should be treated with caution, suggests the OTA's report. "The fundamental stumbling block to placing an economic value on federal R & I) Is that improving pro ductivity or producing an econo mic return Is not the primary justification for most federal R & D programmes/' Rather, says the report, the research may be socially desir able or may be thought to lead to substantial economic spinoffs in the future, but be too risky for private industry to back. Alternatively, at least part of the reason for the re search may be to bolster national prestige-as in the US space programme. In industry, according to the OTA, surprisingly few com panies use quantitative tech niques to evaluate research. Methods like these could con sist of efforts to link R & D with specific indicators such as increased profits, new products, corporate image or recruitment. Such techniques, however, have little practical value. They fail to take into account the myriad of factors tilat enter the research process. These incl"tide the personalities and sku, ol Individual technologists and bow their efforts are applied elsewhere In the company, for instance in the marketing and product-planning departments. The OTA concludes that, both in government and in industry. It is difficult to evaluate research through anything other than qualitative methods. These may comprise little more than sequences of meetings between the people ,lolng the R & D and those paymg for it, in the hope that the interaction between the two groups will guide the research towards defined targets. Although G,e report focusses on the US-where total R & D ') BENEFIT TO US ECONOMY FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN RESEARCH Zinc coatlnQa for englneerlng-atructuraa NlckI zinc battery &.--111rglcal tool Human tissue like material Figures refer to notional benefits from ush invested by industry in technologies derived from the \JS space programme spending is about $110bn a year -split roughly evenly between government and industry-It may have particular relevance to Britain, where the govern ment has recently started two activities aimed at fl-;1ing formal methods to evarnate R & D. The UK Cabinet Office is setting up a science and tech nology assessment office to gauge returns from Govern-ment-funded research pro grammes. These projects accounted for roughly half the bn ($12bn) that the UK spent on R & D in 1983. This new office will try to analyse the extent to whkh different Gov~ ernment research programmes aid national efficiency and competitiveness. In a separate move, the Government is backing the formation of a national forum to identify at an early stage research projects which show the greatest promise of producing economic results. The Advisory Council for Applied Research and Development, which reports to the Prime Minister, has commissioned Segal Quince Wicksteed, con sultants, to identify how to set up such a forum. Their report on the subject is expected to be substantially complete by the autumn. Research Funding as an Investment-Can We Measure the Returns? Office of Tech nology Assessment, Washington, DC 20510, US.
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-.... :-.>. .. IEEE SYECTRUM Ht\J YORK, HY MONTHLY 254200 :JUN/Ol./l.986 BUl!/1.S,.i.FS -----Supercomput1r. r9se~rcJ lags ncimlc s{rength and lntema Future U.S. ec~tiveness will depend In slg tional compe I continuing progress in nificant part on according to a report by supercomputeriTi hnol<>Q}'. Assessment, the U.S. Ofll~e o rd~ationof supercomputbut national coo be lagging. er development maiave been set up to coAlthough pantson large-scale comput ordlnat~ the wor king authority is limited, Ing, their policymaFor a copy of the study, the report notes. rnment plans and "Supercomputers: Gove 052-003-01032), .. ::policies" (G:OP!~~~~:ent of oocuments. ;::: : :':: contact the m~nt Printing Office, washing-U.S. Govern 02 telephone 202-783-3238. ton. o.c. 204 _J, The price is $1. \ .., .. IEEE SPECTRUM NEU YORK, NY MONTHLY 254200 :JUN/O.l./l9B6 !!!!!J.EUES r;: R&D support, or le~s~ l 1 1-.J', j/ The squeeze on the U.S:'mlcroelectronlcs Industry caused by International competi tion and market fluctuations may cut Into private-sector spending for research and development, at a time when A&D Is espe cially lmportantto keep the United States competitive, according to a background paper released by the Caooress!aoal Office of Technolo Asse nt. though U.S. companies are looking to the Federal government for R&D sup1;1ort, most Federal research money for microelectronics comes from the Defense De-;:;::::.-.:-:-::::: : : =:::::/ partment, and research shaped by military requirements may not meet the needs of the commercial sector. Members of the microelectronics com munity differ on Federal support for ~o~merclal R&D. Some would like to see 1t in crease given the success of commercial support in Japan by the Government's Min istry of International Trade and Industry; others, however, oppose further U.S. ~overnment involvement in microelectronics, arguing that the commercial sector must direct Its own R&D If commercial needs are to be met. How these and other economic and technological trends will affect the next .<. .<>>. PHOTONICS SPECTRA PITTSFIELD, KA KONTHLV 48000 two decades of microelectronics research in the United States are examined in the arA study, Microelectronics Research and Development. The 35-page report (stock ::/\::::i://:-::: .. :-: : :':'::::::::::: n$~-~ 5t~!~i,0 e1i!1"!]in1t!n~~~l~~1~o~~~ :(\::::){ : ::: me0nts, U.S. Government Printing Office, : Washington, o.c. 20402; telephone j 202-783-3238. :JUN/Ol../l.986 BURREUIS r,;:,.:.'( FUTURE ICs: ... MUCH SMALLER In an extensive report on the R&D outlook in microelectronics. the Congres sional Office of Technology AMf:AAIDeDt COT A) says that continued miniaturization of integrated circuits.made of silicon will be the primary trend over the next two decades. The trend will start levelling off just after the year 2000, says OT A. when minimurifdimensions will be between one-tenth and one-fifth of a micron. or about one-tenth the smallest size currently in production. The report predicts tij_at GaAs devices. despite greater speed and reliability, won't replace less costly silicon in most applications~ One shortrange problem: Current pressures from overseas competition and market fluctuations may cause cutbacks in private sector spending for R&D Just when increased spending is needed to keep US industry competitive. .. >' I: l
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r-----,,,,..-7:A PITOL VIE W S lish an ARS Biotechnology Research Oversight Committee to coordinate all related research within ARS. ARS Deputy Administrator Thomas Army said the new committee will function to "ensure that scientists take the necessary precautions for conducting research using biotechnology and that such research is carried out in accordance with applicable research guidelines." For further information, cont.ace: USDA Office of Information, Rm. 404-A, Washington, DC 20250, (202) 447-4026. For copies of the biotechnology guidelines, refer to the 6/12/86 Federal Register, vol. 51, no. 123, pp. 23302-23393. o OTA Assesses Grassroots Genetic Diversity Preservation Efforts The Office of Technology Assessment (ITTA) says that while the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is probably the "best defined" of all U.S. federal poli cies and programs responsible for main taining germplasm diversity, it has made "minimal effort" to either recognize grass roots activities or incorporate their materi als into the national system. [ncreased cooperation between these programs "could not only strengthen grass roots efforts but also improve the national collections," ITTA told Congress in a back ground paper it prepared as part of a major assessment on Technologies to Maintain Biological Diversity that is due out this full. OTA, a nonpartisan analytical agency established to assist Congress in dealing with complex and technical issues, was asked to undertake the assessment in 1984 (see DIVERSITY, no. 7, p. 6). Increase in Grassroots Activities ... The background paper, entitled "Grass roots Conservation of Biological Diversity in the United States" is the first of two that ITTA has released since the study began. In it, the ITTA observes that the increased level of grassroots activities in recent years is not only a result of a general increased public interest in environmental issues, but of a particular concern over the accelerating loss of biological diversity. "The main tenance of biological diversity is generally perceived as both a matter of insurance and investment as well as a moral principle," the agency told members of Congress who are currently considering various measures to deal with the international scope of the problem. The 67-page OTA paper defines the "grassroots" sector as those individuals and groups not affiliated with large public or national organizations. The paper con cludes with four summary findings. Grassroots activities are a vital pan of US. efforts to maintain biological diversity. They supplement those efforts by undertaking activities for which they are uniquely suited or especially willing, but 6 are unable to replace government's broader responsibilities for maintaining biological diversity. The strength of grassroots organiz.a tions lies in a shared commitment to preserve resources which are perceived as valuable and threatened. The local focus and flexibility of many grassroots groups can make them particularly responsive to many issues. These organizations, however, can be vulnerable due to limited or unstable funding, and dependence on the enthusiasm of a single individual or small group. Federal and State laws, policies, and actions have a considerable positive and negative impact on the effectiveness of grassroots groups. Network organizations that coordinate the activities of individuals and small grassroots groups can enhance the contri butions to the maintenance of biological diversity. Identifies Gaps in U.S. Program ITTA highlights specific "showcase" examples of grassroots groups dealing with what it identifies as "two gaps" in the National Plant Germplasm System: lack of attention to traditional varieties and to varieties no longer available from commer cial sources. These groups include the Seed Savers Exchange; the North American Fruit Explorers; regional seed exchanges such as the Abundant Life Seed Foundation and NativeSeeds/SEARCH; and living historical farms such as the National Colonial Farm.'4'he report says the work of these groups could be greatly enhanced if they had the advantage of state and federal assistance in areas that require technical expertise such as plant breeding and germplasm storage. The four papers commissioned for the report on grassroots activities were submit ted by: Cary Fowler, Rural Advancement Fund; Elizabeth Henson, American Minor Breeds Conservancy; Gary Nabhan and Kevin Dahl, Native/SeedsSEARCH; and Elliot Norse, the Ecological Society of America. A second ITTA background D I V E R paper written in preparation for the major assessment is entitled "Assessing Biologi cal Diversity in the United States: Data Considerations." This paper assesses the status of currently available U.S. data col lected on this country is biota. It is limited to data generated from field studies and does not address many biological resources collections such as those held by the USDA Germplasm Resources Information Net work (see story, p. 10). Congressional response to the ITTA papers on biological diversity included the following remark from Senator Claiborne Pell (D.-R.I.), ranking minority member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which held hearings on biological diver sity last spring (see story, p. 7). "The loss of species is the greatest sleeper issue of our time," Pell asserted. "Each extinction is an irreparable loss with consequences and costs that we can now only dimly fathom. This ITTA report, of which I am an initiator, begins to address the crisis of biological diversity and how it can best be handled." Copies of the OTA reports are available from: U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC 20402, (202) 783-3238. The GPO stock number for the grassroots report (#1) is 052-003-01018-4 and the cost is $3.50. The GPO stock number for the report on data considerations (lf2) is 052-003-013103 and the cost is $2 .75. For further informa tion, call ITTA: (202) 226-2115. D s I T y
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BIOSCIENCE UASHINGTON, OC MONTHLY 12000 AUG/OJ./J.986 6'!ff'O In its recent study Demographic Tre~~.-a-che Scientific and Engineenng Work Force, the congression-al Office of Technology Assessment ( OTA) identified significant trends drat may affect the supply of scientists and engineers in the future. The most important one, it says, is a decline in the college-age population over the next decade; the number of 18 to 24 year olds will drop from a peak of 30 million in 1982 to about 24 million in 1995, a 22% decrease. This decline could lead to a drop in college enroll ments of 12% to 16% between now and 1995. These trends make it increasingly important to fully use all potential resources for the scientific and engineering work force, the report concludes. The 156-page study is available for $6.00 from the US Gov ernment Printing Office, Department SSMC, Washington, DC 20402. Include GPO stock number 052-00301014-3 and enclose payment in the form of a check or money order pay able to the Superintendent of Docu ments; payment may also be made with VISA or MasterCard if card number and expiration date are furnished. ,-RE.SFAl Force, is available for $6,00 from the l.' ,S, (;overnment Printing Otttcc, Superintendent of Documents Washington. D,C 20-102, Request Stock \:umber O'i2-ll01-0IOl+:i HIGH TECHNOLOGY BOSTON, HA HONTHLV 300,000 AU& 1986 -3102 ~URREU.PS Mixed outlook 029 7Y----+ for technical education Graduate enrollment in science and engineering is on the verge of decline, according to the latest statistics from the National Science Foundation (NSF), but a study by the congressional Office o! T~hIll2iL.~,J!nt (OTA) suggests tnat shortages are not inevitable. Graduate enrollment in science and engineering grew 2% a year during 1977-83 but showed virtu ally no growth in 1984-when there were 415,000 such students (247,000 full-time) enrolled in U.S. schools-and similar findings are expected for 1985. Soon, reports the NSF, enrollment could actually decline. The U.S. population of 18-to 24-year-olds will fall from 30 million in 1982 to 24 million in 1995, and a larger proportion of this group will be blacks and his panics, who have been only half as likely as whites to become sci entists or engineers. But according to the OTA, other factors could partially offset these declines. College enrollment among 25-to 44-year-olds-which has risen steadily over the past decade, now accounting for 20% of all undergraduates-could well continue to increase as this age group expands over the next sev eral years. And the mounting de mand for scientists and engineers will make these professions more attractive to high school and college students "and convince more of those with degrees to work in the field," says OTA study direc tor Gene Frankel. (Currently only 7% of the college-age population receive undergraduate degrees in science or engineering, and only two-thirds of those go on to work in related areas.) Still, the OTA sees no room for complacency. In particular, it rec ommends that industry and gov ernment encourage more blacks, hispanics, and women to enter technical fields.
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ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH ST. LOUIS, MO D. 284,721 S. 479,071 SEP 7 1986 : -: ,= y P~lvtrraphs Do Lie @'-r-~ 77 <""' -..n1 .J l!!!!J JI._., d,.1,,. ~-For Hamlet, it was the play that sbowed catcbing workers accuse o pr e or wllether the suspect was lying. For busiwill the council's study bait the Justice and 1 nes.i and indUstry, ifs the lie-detector test. Defense departments from using the test to The device Is too often used to gauge the track down sow-ces of embarrassing news trutbfulns of workers, although there alleaks and to decide wbicll employees will ways bas been evidence that the test wasn't bave access to sensitive documents. nearly as accurate as Hamlet's little play. By comi,ng out against lie-detector tests, l N'DW comes word from the American Med-the council has bolstered findings in a sep ical Association's Council on Scientific Af-arate study by the @ngressional Office 2! fairs that a lie-detector test isn't a reliable Technology Assessment. The OTA found -way to screen prospective employees and that m a popiitation of 1,000 subjects of establish security clearances. whom 5 percent were guilty, the tests pin-. In other words, polygraphs do lie. The pointed 47 of the 50 guilty people -and counciirs surprising but welcome conclu-labeled another 47 innocent people as sion, published in a study in the JollrnaJ of guilty. the 'American Medical Associatioa, comes Ue detectors present an unacceptable at a time wben we are witnesses to a grow-risk of violating a number of constitutional ing use of thiS test as a solution to a bost of provisions. The same type of chilling reproblems in government and industry. But suits are Ukely to come from the rusb to this-isn't likely to stop companies from us-solve the drug problem through urine tests. Ing the test for a number of functions, Will we ever learn that the quick fix isn't J ranging from screening job applicants to always the best solution? ---
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THE DENVER POST DENVER,CO 0. 234,305 SUN. 354,410 AUG 29 1986 /!g!f8EUIS Coorsj __ ,,---~,~' e detectors' t. '_p)-.Cf1'/ ::-.Ji 1 ,...,,,,r\l. A FTER 24 years of Jee g ditional means. But as the U .s .t"\.its employees to the indignity Offi~e of Technology Assessment of :lie-detector" tests, the Adolph argued in a report to Congress last Coors Co. of Golden finally has reyear, the polygraph's high failure alized that the foolish contraptions rate makes it unsuitable for mass belong on the philosophical scrascreenings of the type Coors was pheap already occupied by astroloconducting. gy, numerology and other mischie-If a corporate Captain Queeg is vous pseudosciences. determined to track down the emSeldom has misplaced faith in ployee who stole the strawberries quack technology caused a compafrom the company cateteria, polyny more grievous harm r or so little graph experts might be able to return. Use of polygraphs helped pick out 10 suspects from 100 cause the 1977 strike by the Brewpeople. But even that level of acery Workers Union which curacy much higher than the emerged into a continuing AFLmachine can usually produce -CIO boycott of Coors products. will also wrongly brand nine innoEven greater damage may have cent people as probable thieves. been done by the cynicism sown in Coors fixation with the poly the minds of thousands of Coors graph hurt its employee morale employees subjected to the capriand public relations alike. Scrap cious "judgments" of machines ping the lie detector paves the way whose actual ability to separate to a healthier relationship between truth from falsehood is often on a Coors employees and manage par with flipping coins. ment as partners in a common In expert hands, polygraphs can struggle, rather than corporate help police narrow down the list of Clouseaus and their employee possible suspects to a crime suspects. who must then be investigated by And that's the truth.
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TRIBUNE SAN DIES~ CA D. 121,010 SEP~ AMA cool to lie detectors being used in work place ~1,.q,y CHICAGO (AP) Lie-detector case, but there iJ. usually a whole tests may be valuable tools in crimi-body of other evidence there on nal cases, but they should not be used which to arrive at some. conclusion,." for employee screening until their he sai~ reliability is proven, the American "But when you're talking about. Medical Association says. pre-employment screening and the The AMA's Council on Scientific other applications, the polygraph ex-'"' Affairs said a review of studies on amination is likely to be the major the validity of polygraph testing had test." established that in criminal cases re-The council cited a separate re--' suiting in the classification of guilty, view by the congressional Office of it was accurate 75 percent to 97 perTechnolofl?: Assessment that found cent of the time. "even 1f e results of the polygraph A polygraph, or lie-detector test, testing were 95 percent valid ... in a measures changes in respiration, screened population of 1,0~ in which blood pressure, heart rate and gal-5 percent were guilty, 47 of the 50 vanic skin response to gauge the guilty people would be apprehended truthfulness of the subject's state-but 47 innocent people would also be ments. labeled as guilty." Such reviews, however, apparently Dr. Wil!iam_ Hendee, _secre_tary of have done little to dissuade industry the council, said one of its_ chief con-and the government from increasing cerns about the_ u~e of he-de~ector use of the polygraph, the council ret~sts outside cn_l'I!-mal cases JS t~e ported in an article published in risk of false-positive results. Thats today's Journal of the American when at !~as~ one measure of the Medical Association. polygraph mdi~ates_ a f~l~ehood even The council said the number of though the subJect 1s g1vmg a truth-such tests administered 10 years ago ful answer. ranged between 250,000 and 400,000, The implications of false-posi-and cited an American Civil Libertives in lie-detector tests are certain-ties Union estimate. that 1 millioj ly dangerous enough in a criminal were being performed by 1983.
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;~01-HH JE:Sl:.'I r1EU1LU ,k~S ::-r-J'.:iS1UC, i-iJ DAIL~ ~1066 ~UL/ l2,/ l.886 BUR(tlUIS r-H-elJJ.odialysis may be done athome ,/, Dear ~;:Sol~m;.(: l~just gethemodialysis performed at a cenhas been reported to result in a ting started on hemodiLiysis for a ter and home hemodialysis. Each better rate of survival than hemokidney problem, and I have my method appears to provide the dialysis at a center, the differ choice of having it done in a cenpatient with a comparable qualience appears to be related to the ter or at home. If you forget about f!J' _______ type of patient selected for each the cost and other such factors, I: of the procedures. and just consider which would be better from a medical standpoint, .. Dr. Neil which form of treatment would you recommend? -Mr. T.O.'M., .. _j' Solomon Pittsburgh, Pa. Dear Mr. O'M.: According to a report from the congressional Office of Technology Assessment, ty of life. there 1s hftle-fo choose-between Although home hemodialysis ---~-.
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CLARKSBUR~1, WV TEtEGRAm D. 18,266 JUL 31 1986 BV!f./lErs Honors Academy Classes Topic 'Space ~estjny' auclf:it':t*NoN "Thl! Meek Will Inherit the Earth the Rest Of Us Will Go To The Stars," was inscribed on badges. distributed in one of the Governor's Honors Academy classes at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Instructor Michael Fulda used the button to capture his attitude to ward space exploration. During his class, us ing the topic entiUed "Space Destiny," he held a rapt audience of high school students. Fulda not only lectured about the technology of space exploration but government policies be hind the technology as well. Fulda, a political science teacher at Fairmont State College, is known as a self-ap pointed watchdog of government for the past 20years. > Government reports used as texts for the class were written by-V NASA: Office of Tech/ no~1y Assessment co r"'@1fafcli"'arm of Congress, and by the National Commission on Space. a special 15-m ember committee composed of such luminaries as Neil Armstrong, Chuck Yeager and Jeanne Kirkpa-trick. Title of reports included "Civilian Space Stations and the U.S. Future in Space," "Planetary Exploration Through the Year 2000," and "Pioneering the Space Frontier." Other resources for the class included tele conferences with space policymakers in Washin!!~o~, D.C. MPs in call for tech(j~jvice body By Leon Clifford Gerald Vaughan, Dr John Bleby and Sir Ian Lloyd. A WAY of improving the scientific and technical aware ness of MPs has been put for ward by several leading back benchers. Last Thursday the three knights met with the Prime Minister in the House of Com mons and gave her a copy of the report. According to Sir Ian Lloyd the Prime Minister showed "great interest" in what they had to say. A report suggesting that the House of Commons creates a special body to provide impartial advice and information to MPs has been submitted to the Parliamentary and Scien tific Committee of the House of Commons. This body would be along the lines of the Office of Technolo~s~<:,ssment (ai ~wliicli been serving ;~ Congress since 1972. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister pointed out that she held no view on the subject at the moment because she had only just received the report. And in any case, this is a matter for the House of Commons rather than the gov ernment. "Legislators in the modem world are having to deal with legislation which has a higher and higher technical content," said Sir Ian Lloyd. He pointed out nuclear power and com mercial biotechnology as technical issues which are on the The report has been com piled by four members of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee who recently vi sited Washington to look at the work of the OT A. They are Sir Trevor Skeet, Sir v( IEEE SPECTRUH NEW YORK, NV 110N'l"HL V 254 200 -3286 --AU& 1986 Q!ta/J.EL.L.E"S What's OTA got? Some of the most incisive reviews of tech nology are published by the Office of Technology Assessment, which provides U.S. congressional committees with nonpartisan analyses of emerging, often abstruse, technical issues. The results are usually presented in the form of briefings, testimony, and special reports, which are listed in the OTA's official list of publications. The latest edition incorporates informa tion under the following categories: energy and materials; industry, technology, and employment; international security and commerce; biological applications; food and renewable resources; health; commu nications and information technologies; oceans and environment; science, educa tion, and transportation; and adminis trative. For a free copy of the list, write the Congress of the United States, Office of Tech no!o.9Y Assessm~11t, PublismrigOlfice, Washington, D.C. 20510; telephone 202-224-8996. political agenda at the moment. "In the US, the OTA pro duced a report that looked at the whole nuclear power ques tion: it was a first-class study and it said what the options are for n'.rndern civilised states," said Sir Ian. There are an exceedingly small number of scientifically qualified MPs, according to Sir Ian. "A more scientifically literate House of Commons is in the hands of the electorate. But if those members who are already there are presented with carefully designed and thought-out papers on scien tific subjects then the whole level of debate would be raised," he said. But won't this just be another bureaucratic department? "The justification is whether or not it is necessary. And we can achieve this with a comparatively small number of people. If we started with a very small number, about 10, then we could do something very useful," said Sir Ian. And how long will it take to set up such a body? "I tend to be pessimistic. We're looking at getting the foundations by the end of this parliament. It's a long haul yet. It must be House of Commons money and not government money. Then the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee must agree to be the parent body. And then the whole thing has to be set up," said Sir Ian. ELECTRONICS IIEEKLV SUTTON, SURREY, EN WEEKLY 18,400 JUL 23 1966
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