Republican platform details stance on science - ACS Publications

Government Other expressions of support for research are scattered throughout • "We will encourage the ex- the platform. For example, in secchange of scientific information, es- tions on health issues, the platform pecially between business and aca- states: "We will vigorously fight demic institutions, to speed up the against AIDS, recognizing that the application of research to benefit enemy is one of the deadliest diseases to challenge medical research. the public. • "We will improve the acquisi- Continued research on the virus is tion of scientific and technical in- vital." In addition, it says Republiformation from other countries cans will continue generous funding through expedited translation ser- for the National Institutes of Health vices and more aggressive outreach and calls on the Food & Drug Administration "to accelerate its certiby federal agencies. • "We will include international fication of technically sound altertechnology flows as part of U.S. natives to animal testing of drugs trade negotiations to ensure that the and cosmetics w h e n considering benefits of foreign advances are data regarding product safety and efficacy." available to Americans. In speaking of national security, • "We will encourage innovation by strengthening protection for in- the platform says that "investment in defense research and developtellectual property at home and abroad. We will promote the public ment must be maintained at a level benefits that come from commer- commensurate with the Reagancialization of research conducted un- Bush years. This investment should der federal sponsorship by allowing be focused on efficient and effecprivate ownership of intellectual tive areas such as ballistic missile defense, space, command and conproperty developed in that manner. • "We will oppose regulation trol, and 'smart' munitions." In adwhich stifles competition and hin- dition, the Republican Party "reders breakthroughs that can trans- gards the education of American students in the fields of science and form life for the better in areas like technology as vital to our national biotechnology. security." "This is an agenda for more than The platform also pledges "strong science and technology. It will broaden economic opportunity, sus- support for agricultural research, intain our ability to compete globally, cluding increased emphasis on developing new uses of farm prodand enhance the quality of life for ucts, such as alternative fuels, food, all." nonfood, and industrial products." And a section on energy issues states ! that "technology is America's competitive edge, and it should be encouraged in finding new solutions to our energy problems." Thus, Republicans "support funding for research and development, particularly where current market economies preclude private investment." Areas singled out include research on alternative fuels, particularly for use in transportation; energy efficiency; conservation; renewables; fusion; and superconductivity. The Republican Party, the platform says, "will re-establish U.S. preeminence in space." It supports further development of the space station, which will allow the private sector additional opportunities in the area of research and manufacPresidential candidate George Bush turing. The U.S. also must commit

Republican platform details stance on science The 1988 Republican platform adopted earlier this month at the party's national convention in New Orleans is not only much, much longer than its Democratic counterpart (C&EN, Aug. 8, page 22), it is also much more specific. The platform spells out in detail not only what the party claims two Republican Administrations have accomplished over the past eight years, but what the next Republican Administration, if elected, will do to build on those accomplishments. Thus, the Democratic platform's short paragraph addressing the importance of research and development stands against a whole page, albeit one out of 104, entitled "Science and Technology" in the Republican platform. This is what that page says: "Our nation's continuing progress depends on scientific and technological innovation. It is America's economic fountain of youth. Republicans advocate a creative partnership between government and the private sector to ensure the dynamism and creativity of scientific research and technology: • "We recognize that excellence in education, and especially scientific literacy, is a precondition for progress, and that economic growth makes possible the nation's continu i n g a d v a n c e m e n t in scientific research. • "We consider a key priority in any increased funding for the National Science Foundation the retooling of science and engineering labs at colleges and universities. • "We endorse major national projects like the Superconducting Super Collider. • "We will ensure that tax policy gives optimum incentives for the private sector to fund a high level of advanced research. Toward that end, we will make permanent the current tax credit for research and development and extend it to cooperative research ventures. • "We will strengthen the role of science and engineering in national policy by reinforcing the Office of the President's Science Adviser with the addition of a Science Advisory Council. 24

August 29, 1988 C&EN

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25

Government to a manned flight to Mars around the year 2000 and to continue exploration of the moon. In setting forth an environmental program for the 1990s, the platform offers five points. First, "We will work for further reductions in air and water pollution and effective actions against threats posed by acid rain. These goals can and must be achieved without harmful economic dislocation." Second, "We are committed to minimizing the release of toxins into the environment." Third, "We support strong enforcement of our environmental laws and will accelerate the pace of our national effort to clean up hazardous waste sites and protect our groundwater. We will promote proper use of fertilizers and pesticides to minimize pollution of groundwater." Fourth, "Republicans recognize that toxic and hazardous waste production is increasing. Therefore, we will utilize the nation's scientific

community to develop solutions to this waste disposal dilemma as an alternative to the continued burying, exporting, and ocean dumping of these dangerous substances, as they are no more than stop-gap measures with extremely tragic potential." Fifth, "We will require that federal departments and agencies meet or exceed the environmental standards set for citizens in the private sector." In other areas the platform calls for a reasonable state and federal product liability standard, the return of a fault-based standard to the civil judicial system, the application of health and safety laws and civil rights statutes to the Congress, and rapid and certain deployment of the Strategic Defense Initiative as technologies permit. And "the Republican Party restates the unequivocal promise we made in 1984: We oppose any attempts to increase taxes." Janice Long

Land ban rule hikes chemical waste disposal cost Continuing to meet its Congressionally mandated deadlines, the Environmental Protection Agency has restricted land disposal of nearly one third of all regulated hazardous wastes. The regulation, required by the 1984 amendments to the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act, restricts disposal of an estimated 861 million gal of a wide range of industrial wastes and costs $950 million a year for companies to comply. The regulation, published in the Aug. 17 issue of the Federal Register, requires prior treatment for 39 specific industrial waste streams, including five that specifically come from the petroleum refining industry. EPA has set treatment standards for each and recommends specific technologies that can be used to meet those standards. "This action provides significant protection to the public from the potential hazards of land disposal," says J. Winston Porter, EPA assistant administrator for solid waste and emergency response. "These restrictions have prompted technological advances and increased the availability of 26


treatments to detoxify these wastes. Although more costly, treatment ultimately provides far greater levels of environmental protection." The treatment standards for the waste streams vary based on what the pollutants are. For most wastes with high concentrations of organic chemicals, the standards are based on incineration. If metals are the problem, such as with electric-arc furnace dust from steel production, the standards are based on metals recovery or stabilization. Another major waste, electroplating sludge, must be stabilized, EPA says, which can be accomplished by using cement-kiln dust as a binding agent. EPA officials described some small problems in setting a final rule for some industries. The steel industry, for example, complained that there aren't enough treatment facilities to recover metals or stabilize the thousands of tons of furnace dust generated from steel manufacture. EPA, after its own look at the situation, concluded there is sufficient stabilization capacity, but admitted that it might take several months before

the waste control companies could handle the large increase in volume. The agency also has set a twoyear interim standard for dust containing more than 15% zinc, allowing it to be stabilized until sufficient recovery capacity for this much zinc has been created. After two years, the high-zinc-content dust would have to be treated by recovering the zinc, but less than 15% zinc-content dust would continue to be stabilized. The petroleum refining industry was also the recipient of a modification of the proposed rule (C&EN, April 11, page 39). Originally, EPA thought that petroleum refining waste streams would have to be incinerated. But the volume of these is so large (they make up the bulk of the wastes covered by the regulation) that the agency has decided that solvent extraction for recovery of organics is also a viable option. EPA officials estimate that roughly half the expense of this rule, or about $450 million, would be borne by the refining industry if it incinerated all the petroleum wastes. If all companies went to solvent extraction, as much as 50% of that expense could be saved. Because of the difficulties in setting up these systems—for instance, getting permits for new incinerators, EPA is giving the petroleum industry an additional two years to comply with the regulation. EPA has not set specific treatment standards for 14 wastes commonly produced by some manufacturing processes and by certain industries, nor for some 107 very small-volume discarded commercial chemical products and spill residues as allowed under RCRA. But if treatment is available, EPA stipulates that these wastes will have to be treated before they are disposed of in landfills. There is a so-called "soft hammer provision" in RCRA for these wastes. Under certain circumstances, EPA will allow disposal of untreated wastes in landfills, providing a number of conditions are met. This only applies until May 8, 1990, however, after which the law requires absolutely no disposal of untreated hazardous waste in landfills. David Hanson

Republican platform details stance on science - ACS Publications

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