
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 22, 1991                   TAG: 9103220920
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A/2   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

PARK SERVICE PRAISES POLLUTER

The National Park Service cited a company for "admirable" anti-pollution efforts even after learning it had dumped chemicals and boat batteries in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a report says.

The Park Service discovered in November 1989 that its Glen Canyon concessioner, ARA Leisure Services Inc., had fouled Lake Powell, according to a report from the Interior Department's inspector general.

The report, obtained Thursday from the House Government Operations environment subcommittee, said the Park Service "has not taken sufficient action" to correct pollution of the lake in northern Arizona and Utah.

"Instead, the Park Service gave the concessioner a satisfactory rating on its operation and contract compliance," the report said.

The Park Service stated in its rating report, "ARA efforts to keep the area free from waste and discarded items is admirable. The lake bottom is exceptionally cleaner than the previous seasons."

The Interior Department report said it was discovered that ARA and the previous concessioner, the Del Webb Corp., had discarded "several hundred houseboat batteries, boating equipment and chemicals, including dissolved paint, oil and grease, into Lake Powell for at least seven years."

The dumping poses health hazards to people and wildlife using Lake Powell, the report said. Testing is under way to determine whether areas of the waterway should be closed.

Park Service spokesman George Berklacy said preliminary reports have indicated the lake is safe and no areas have been shut down.

Berklacy said the Park Service has ordered checks of all 40 of the agency's marinas nationwide to make sure no similar dumping is taking place. Concession-ers are being more closely monitored, he said.

He added that the Park Service stands by its satisfactory rating for ARA but is "amending it to include an admonishment for dumping debris."

The inspector general said the park service had "failed to establish . . . adequate controls to monitor" ARA, which runs operations such as boat rental and maintenance in the recreation areas.

A spokesman for ARA, Harry Belinger, said from the company's Philadelphia headquarters that "it is absolutely against ARA policy to dump anything in that lake."

by CNB