News of the Week the company, consider to be two essential conditions," Piani says. "One is that Rhone-Poulenc will remain competitive in the market economy, and that nothing will be done to prevent us from doing so. The other is that there will be no loss of corporate identity. This does not mean that there will not be some restructuring within the French chemical industry, but it will not fundamentally change the nature of Rhone-Poulenc." Looking ahead to the 1990's, Piani sees continuing emphasis on the specialty chemicals side of the company's commercial thrust. Gandois, for instance, cites that about 70% of the company's sales last year was in specialties—agrochemicals, animal feed additives, fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and the like—and 30% was in the commodities. This contrasts with the situation in 1976, when the balance was closer to 50-50 (C&EN, June 29, page 11). •
with oversight and legislation for some major EPA programs, mostly in hazardous wastes. He also authored the $1.6 billion superfund bill. Florio claims the EPA chiefs "performance in office shows a lack of respect for the environment and health of the American people." To back up his claims, Florio's subcommittee staff prepared a five-page analysis of Gorsuch's efforts to date. Florio added that the Administrator's responses to questions before Congressional committees in the past two weeks (see page 22) have emphasized that the time for waiting to see how she does is ended. Among the specific charges Florio levels against Gorsuch are sanctioning the weakening of major regulations
Arthur Bueche dies at 60
Arthur M. Bueche, senior vice presi- I dent for corporate technology for General Electric Co. and adviser to U.S. presidents, died Oct. 22 at the Congressman calls for age of 60 after a series of heart attacks. EPA head to resign In the past 10 years, Bueche had Rep. James J. Florio (D.-N.J.) is the become a statesman for science and first Congressman to call officially for technology, speaking out on innovathe resignation of Environmental tion and in favor of nuclear power. He Protection Agency Administrator was instrumental in persuading Anne M. Gorsuch. In a statement re- President Carter to reestablish the leased during his campaign for the Office of Science & Technology governorship of New Jersey, Florio Policy. said, "Administrator Gorsuch should He was cochairman of President resign officially because she already Reagan's Science & Technology Task has effectively resigned from the Force before the 1980 election, and he performance of the duties of her of- chaired the Science & Technology fice." Policy Team in the transition period As chairman of the House Sub- before the inauguration. committee on Commerce, TransporBueche received a Ph.D. from tation & Tourism, Florio is involved Cornell University in 1947 in physical chemistry and did three years of postdoctoral work there with Nobel Laureate physicist Peter Debye. With Debye, he derived a fundamental equation for light scattering in polymer and other solutions widely used in materials science today. On joining GE in 1950, he worked on effects of electron beams and fillers on silicones, bringing new understanding of rubber elasticity, and he developed crosslinked polyethylene. Bueche became a vice president in 1965 with the task of merging GE's research and engineering laboratories. His task was complicated by falling levels of outside contracts on which the engineering laboratory partly depended, and by management's sour attitude toward the research laboratory. Bueche successfully welded the two into one dynamic unit, won management's confidence that the I Florio: her performance Is lacking 8
C&EN Nov. 2, 1981
that govern disposal of hazardous wastes, failing to move forward with measures to control public exposure to potentially harmful toxic chemicals, and advocating Clean Air Act proposals that allow for significant deterioration of the nation's air quality. As of now, no other Congressman has joined in the call for Gorsuch's ouster. Florio says, however, that he will introduce a resolution in the House seeking her resignation when he returns to Washington after the New Jersey election this week. That is about the extent of action the House can take. The Senate conceivably could impeach Gorsuch, but there are no indications of any such move. •
laboratory was truly responsive to company problems, and restored basic research to favor. He won respect for being supportive of his people and for his ability to reallocate resources quickly for promising new projects. The National Academy of Engineering, of which Bueche was a member, has set up an annual award in his name for statesmanship in science and technology. Winners will receive a prize, deliver a lecture on science and technology to be held in alternating years at Cornell University and Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute, and have gift§ donated in their names and Bueche's to those schools. Tax exempt contributions may be sent to R. Ned Landon, GE R&D Center, P.O. Box 8, Schenectady, N.Y. 12301. •
Arthur M. Bueche
