LETTERS
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BECKMAN CIRCLE 14 ON READER SERVICE CARD
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Environmental Science & Technology
Groundwater Dear Sir: Publication of your excellent article ( E S &T , September 1980, p. 1030) on groundwater protection strategies and groundwater contamination problems could not have appeared at a better time. As you know, EPA currently is immersed in an effort to devise a new strategy to protect this vital resource, while Congress, through the Superfund, grapples with the legacy of past failures to properly protect it. The alternatives for cleaning up already-contaminated groundwater are not entirely effective, and they are expensive at the least. As your article so succinctly summed up, the prevention of contamination of groundwater in the first place is potentially the most economical and technically feasible method of treatment, if it can be called that. At any rate, it will be interesting to see what EPA eventually comes up with in terms of a protection strategy. Virginia Munger Kahn Geraghty & Miller, Inc. Syosset, N.Y. 11791
Dear Sir: The paper, “Groundwater strategies,” by Julian Josephson (ES& T , September 1980, p. 1030-35) named Eugene Patten as head of the Water Resources Division, U S . Geological Survey. The current chief hydrologist is Dr. Philip Cohen and his predecessor of many years was Mr. Joseph S. Cragwall, Jr. Apparently, many papers and publications of the U S . Geological Survey’s Water Resources Division on pollution of groundwater are frequently overlooked. For a review of the many artful and devious ways man has found to contaminate groundwater, one should read USGS Water-Supply Paper 169 1, “Ground-Water Contamination and Legal Controls in Michigan,” 1963,79 pages, by Morris Deutsch. The paper is certainly no reflection on the state of pollution control in Michigan or the condition of its water. Examples of contamination of groundwater by equivalent means can probably be found in many places. Also, USGS Water-Supply Paper 3, “Sewage Irrigation,” 1897, 100 pages,
by G. W. Rafter, and WSP 22, “Sewage Irrigation, Part 11,” 1899, also by Rafter, indicated that sewage treatment could be effected by use as irrigation water as early as 1883, probably at Cheyenne, Wyo. Robert A. Krieger Doraville, Ga. 30340
Acid rain Dear Sir: The California Air Resources Board is sponsoring an international meeting entitled “California Symposium on Acid Precipitation” on Jan. 14-15, 1981, at the Golden Gateway Holiday Inn in San Francisco. This two-day meeting will bring together people from academic and research institutions, government, and industry to present current knowledge and results of research being performed on this important phenomenon. The occurrence of acid rain as observed in California will be compared and contrasted to acid rain in other parts of the U S . Representatives from the western states have also been invited to attend and express their state’s views and research programs investigating the phenomenon of acid precipitation. Those interested in attending the symposium should write or call Ms. Laura Storey, California A h Resources Board, Box 28 15, Sacramento, Calif. 95812; (916) 322-6156.
Gasohol Dear Sir: Your discussion of the gasohol energy conversion issue (“Gasohol: does it save energy?”, ES&T, February 1980, p. 140) is to be commended as one of the most balanced treatments of this controversial subject in the literature thus far. However, a few important items were neglected. Most gasohol energy conversion analyses only consider corn as the chemical feedstock to be converted to alcohol. But as has been shown in the U S . Department of Energy’s Alcohol Fuels Policy Review, the conversion of sugarcane or sweet sorghum to ethanol results in greatly increased energy efficiency. Although these two crops cannot economically be grown everywhere, it is important to consider the
