THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 21, 1996 TAG: 9610180017
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 35 lines
I would like to commend you for your Sept. 18 editorial, `` Environment alarms,'' regarding the state government's repeal of Virginia's toxic-management program. We at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation share your view that, while this extremely important program was in need of repair, its complete elimination was by no means the best solution to the problem.
The new regulation that pertains to toxics is so broad and general that an industry could legally walk away from any toxic-permit requirements if the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality allows it to do so. This raises several crucial questions that must be addressed by the state: How can businesses be assured they will be treated in the same fashion as their competitors? Moreover, how can we be assured Virginia's waters and citizens are protected under such a scheme?
A recently released report that ranked Virginia 14th in the nation for the most direct water discharges of toxic chemicals suggests that a strengthened program is warranted. An estimated 10.1 million pounds of toxic chemicals were legally dumped into Virginia's waterways between 1990 and 1994. In addition, approximately 21 million pounds of dangerous chemicals were flushed into Virginia's sewer systems and then released largely untreated into rivers and other waterways during the same period. Virginia ranks eighth in the nation in this category.
It is time that Virginia gets aggressive about protecting our waters and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay from toxics.
KIM COBLE
Senior scientist
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Richmond, Oct. 3, 1996 by CNB