nebraskan
Wednesday, October 1 1, 1978 lincoln, nebraska vol. 102 no. 26
daily
Too much carbon monoxide could cost9 Lincoln citizens
By Randy Essex
Unless carbon monoxide levels in
Lincoln are lowered to meet Environmen
tal Protection Agency requirements by
1982, local motorists will have to pay to
have their exhaust systems inspected
annually for unlawful emissions.
The state Department of Environmental
Control will ask the Nebraska Legislature
next year to authorize the inspection pro
gram if it is needed, according to Gene
Robinson, director of environmental
control.
Carbon monoxide levels measured at
22nd and 0 streets are the highest in the
state, Robinson said.
In 1977, Lincoln had 11 violations of
EPA standards, according to Gary Walsh,
supervisor of air pollution control for the
Lincoln-Lancaster County Board of Health.
Readings over nine parts of carbon
monoxide per million parts of air constit
ute a safety hazard. Walsh said each reading
after the first above that level in one year is
considered a violation.
Looking to 1982
Walsh said the city is working to lower
the levels by 1982 so vehicle inspection
will not be required.
He said a new analytical approach to the
matter may produce a method to lower
carbon monoxide levels. He said it would
be premature to say what the levels will be
in 1982.
But Robinson siad he does not think
Lincoln will be able to meet the standards
by 1982, and will be forced to inspect
exhaust systems.
However, Robinson said he thinks
Omaha will meet the requirements because
carbon monoxide level violations there
have not been as high or as frequent as in
Lincoln.
"Omaha has a better overall transporta
tion system. There is more than one major
street to get east to west on, and they
probably have a better bus service,"
Robinson said.
Photo by Ted Kirk
A motorcyclist puts his bike through the test during a motocross race at Denton. For a story and more photos, see Page 6.
Vietnam military figure will speak
By Scott Nelson
Gen. William Westmoreland, considered
by some to be one of modern history's
most controversial military figures, will
give a public lecture entitled "Vietnam in
Perspective" at 2 p.m. Friday in the Neb
raska Union Ballroom.
The last time Westmoreland visited
Lincoln was in September, 1970 when he
was greeted by about 250 students
protesting the Vietnam War. The slogans
in what then Gov. Norbert Tiemann called
"a shameful way to treat a U.S. dignitary,"
according to September 1970 issues of
the Daily Nebraskan.
People on campus still have mixed op
inions of Westmoreland and his involve
ment in the Vietnam War, but most admit
they want to hear him speak and especially
answer questions.
Bibliography
Westmoreland served as commander of
U.S. Armed Forces in Vietnam from 1964
to 1968, during the height of U.S. involve
ment in the war, and later became Army
chief of staff. He retired from the Army
in 1972 and now is chairman of a task
force for economic growth in his native
state of South Carolina.
"It's not every day that you can hear
someone of this caliber who has been a
commander at war and chief of staff
of the Army," said Pete Maslowski, a UNL
assistant professor who teaches military
history.
"The man was in a unique position
to gain a reasonable perspective on the
Vietnam War, and I think he'll come right
out and say what he thinks," Maslowski
said.
According to Maslowki, Westmoreland
will speak to one and possibly two mili
tary history classes about the media's
coverage of the Vietnam War.
Press not favored
"After finishings his book, (A Soldier
Reports) I think I can safely predict
his feeling will, perhaps justifiably, be un
favorable towards the press," Maslowski
said.
"The general assured me that after
each session and the lecture there will
be a question and answer session 'no holds
barred.' "
Dick Fleming, assistant to the
chancellor, said the university discovered
that Westmoreland was coming to Lin
coln for the 33-year reunion of the 60th
infantry staff he commanded during the
second world war, and the general was
asked to talk with UNL students.
Fleming said Westmoreland will be
paid $1,000 for his UNL appearances.
Students didn't pay
He said the money will come from the
Avery Lecture Series fun'1 not student
fees. The UNL history fbpartment,
military science department and the Uni
versity Program Council Talks and Topics
Committee are co-sponsoring the lecture.
A small group called the Committee for
Facts About Vietnam is planning to dis
tribute pamphlets and information about
the Vietnam War before Westmoreland
speaks at the union, said Bruce Erlich,
UNL associate professor of English.
"It's not our intention to disrupt or
deny him his freedom of speech, but it
is our opinion that he should never have
been invited to campus in the first place.
Not defend
"We should not be honoring a speaker
who comes not to disseminate information
but to defend his position," Erlich said.
John Two Birds Arbuckle, a veteran
of the Vietnam War and a leader of
Lincoln's American Indian Movement, said
he is happy about the appearance, and
would like to ask Westmoreland a few
"It is unusual for a city the size of
Lincoln to have such high readings," he
added.
Lincoln City Council member Joe
Hampton said the violations represent
statistics taken out of context. He said the
O Street location was poorly chosen by the
health department, and levels there do not
reflect the overall situation in Lincoln.
Abnormal
"The health department admits that it is
an abnormal condition," Hampton said.
"Any time there is a buildup of traffic,
with cars idling at a stoplight, there will be
a drift of carbon monoxide from major
streets besides O.
"There have been violations when there
was a parallel wind (to O Street), meaning
the levels were created by O Street traffic,
but most of our high readings have come
when there is a light southeasterly breeze,"
Walsh said.
He explained that the highest readings
have come around 9 p.m. He said he thinks
carbon monoxide from 27th Street and
Capital Parkway may gather in the Ante
lope Creek basin and be carried by a light
breeze to the testing location later in the
evening.
Second device
To test that theory, Walsh said, a second
monitoring device will be located near 31st
and Arlington streets. The new location
will monitor the buildup of carbon
monoxide in the upper region of the basin.
Walsh said the testing station will be
temporary. It is being put there now
because carbon monoxide levels are the
highest in fall and winter months, he
explained.
The health department is looking for a
second permanent testing site away from
the O Street location, he said.
The second location probably will be in
northeast Lincoln, Walsh said, but he does
not know exactly where. He said by testing
a residential area, it could be determined
if levels throughout the city violate EPA
standards.
No out
But even if that location does not show
violations, the city would not get out of
inspecting auto exhaust systems, Robinson
said. He said such results would only serve
to redefine the problem area.
Continued on Page 3
mmj I ' - -
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il
o
Daily Nebraskan photo
General William Westmoreland,
former Army commander in Vietnam
will speak here Friday.
inside
Wednesday
questions.
Continued on page 3
Return Flight: Monty Python's Fly
ing Circus is back on ETV .page 1 2
Small-town girl makes good. A
Palmyra, Neb., woman is playing
on the United States volleyball
team page 14
Keep Nebraska Beautiful: Bottle bill
supporters and opponents battle it
out page 7
