OPPT NEWSBREAK Wednesday, 24 February 1999 Today's "Toxic News for the Net" Brought to you by the OPPTS Chemical Library http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/oppt_nb.txt NEWS " Green' Army Bullets to Get the Lead Out." USA Today, 23 February 99, 3A. The Army will release an environmentally friendly "green bullet", made without lead, this spring. By 2003, all bullets will be lead-free. Between 300 and 400 million rounds of small-caliber ammunition are used each year by the armed forces. Program manager, Wade Bunting, of the Armament Research Development and Engineering Center says "From an environmental standpoint, it's really important. We're going to be able to use this material and not be concerned with contaminating the soil or the ground water."' "Suit Over Garbage Stations [Digest]." New York Times, 24 February 99, A18. Angry that the once-prohibited clustering of garbage transfer stations in New York is now permitted, groups representing the environment, community and the Borough of Brooklyn have filed suit to change the rules. More than half of New York's 85 stations are located in Brooklyn's Red Hook, Greenpoint and Williamsburg subdivisions as well as the South Bronx. Odors, noise, trucks and other irritants are among the complaints expressed by residents of these neighborhoods. EDITORIAL & COMMENTARY "EPA's Wasteful Grants [Commentary]." Washington Times, 24 February 99, A15. Deroy Murkock, an MSNBC columnist and a senior fellow with the Atlas Economic Research Foundation in Fairfax, [Va.], provides multiple examples from the Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) recently-released report "Phoney Philanthropy" by David E. Williams and Elizabeth L. Wright who explored how the EPA gave over $236 million to 839 non-profit groups in 1995 and 1996. He questions the appropriateness of some of the recipients, concluding: "The GOP Congress should hold oversight hearings on these and scores of other fishy EPA grants that CAGW has exposed. Then, with this nonsense clearly on the record, it can begin to slash EPA's budget accordingly." "Pollution Standards For Diesel Vehicles [Letters to the Editor]." New York Times, 24 February 99, A19. This letter is in disagreement with the EPA's anticipated approval of the use of economical diesel fuel, despite the public health risk from its cancer-linked product, soot. The author urges EPA to follow California's lead in the agency's development of new vehicle standards by setting strict emission standards and using alternative technologies, such as fuel-cell vehicles, that are both economical and nonthreatening. ACROSS THE USA, from USA Today "Bridgeville, Delaware [Across the USA]." USA Today, 23 February 99, 10A. A Carbon monoxide leak at the Interactive Marketing Services packaging plant sent six women to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital where they were treated and released. BOOK REVIEWS "Science Reporting Under a Microscope [Bookshelf]." Wall Street Journal, 24 February 99, A16. In his new book, "Environmental Cancer - A Political Disease?", authors S. Robert Lichter and Stanley Rothman compare and contrast the views of scientific experts, environmental activists and the media regarding the risks of getting cancer from man-made chemicals and naturally occurring chemicals in our environment. Lichter and Rothman demonstrate that the misinterpretation of hard science by activists and the media frequently results in scary reports that generate skepticism among readers. Man-made pesticides are shown in numerous studies to cause less than 5% of cancers, yet articles about pesticide exposure can be "scare-mongering". The authors suggest that scientific findings may be skewed in stories based on the reporter's choice of stories, words and the credibility of the "experts" quoted. The book contains "many fascinating charts and tables". "Former U.N. Arms Inspector Is Criticized by State Dept." New York Times, 24 February 99, A6. Former U.N. Arms Inspector, Scott Ritter, is being criticized by the State Department for misrepresenting the CIA's involvement in Iraqi arms inspections by contending in his book "Endgame", due this spring, that the agency helped plan inspections. In his book, Mr. Ritter says that CIA employees were placed on teams that inspected Iraq for chemical and biological weapons. Mr. Ritter's lawyer, Matthew L. Lifflander, retorts that there is nothing in the book that is not already public knowledge. The Pentagon did not request that Mr. Ritter submit his book to them. LIVING IN THE INFORMATION AGE "Health Industry Called Ill-Prepared For Y2K Problem." Wall Street Journal, 24 February 99, B5. A Senate committee report assessing the readiness of all major U.S. industries for the Y2K problem will be released this week. The report identifies the health-care industry, particularly rural and inner-city hospitals, as being largely at risk of system failures that might affect medical devices and critical systems. Other less prepared industries are small businesses, education, agriculture, construction and food processing. Fortunately, the report also finds that banking, telecommunications and utilities industries are likely to resolve any glitches before 2000. "No Speed Limits on the New Infobahn. Universities, Businesses Launch Internet 2." Washington Post, 24 February 99, E1, E10. The Abilene Project, which is part of Internet 2, is a collaboration between the country's leading universities and corporations to transmit "legitimate and certified research" over "an ultra-high-speed system with vastly superior video and audio capabilities." Initially, 37 universities will be connected to Abilene, and more than 60 will be connected by the end of the year. The project gets its name from a railhead built in Abilene, Kan., in the 1800s that played a key role in coast-to-coast transportation. Sidebars: "Heading Out" includes a map showing router sites and access sites; "Who's Hooking Up" lists the schools connected to Abilene. * All items, unless indicated otherwise, are available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxics Substances (OPPTS) Chemical Library Northeast Mall, Room B606 (Mailcode 7407) Washington, D.C. 20460 (202) 260-3944; FAX x4659; E-mail for comments: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Due to copyright restrictions, the library cannot provide photocopies of articles.) *Viewpoints expressed in the above articles do not necessarily reflect EPA policy. 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