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News Digest Sfess-i---.
Clean-air compromise moves to Senate
WASHINGTON - Senate leaders
and President Bush compromised
Thursday on future air pollution con
trols for automobiles, factories and
electric power plants, enhancing
chances that a clean air bill will pass
this year.
The agreement, after more than
three weeks of closed-door negotia
tions, was viewed as a middle ground
likely to attract enough support to
thwart continuing regional opposi
tion in the looming Senate debate.
Majority Leader George Mitchell,
D-Mainc, called the compromise a
“sound and comprehensive” agree
ment that will substantially improve
air quality over the next decade. He
planned to bring the legislation to the
Senate floor on Monday.
“President Bush is extraordinar
ily pleased with the agreement. It is a
milestone, an enormous step forward,”
said Roger Porter, the president’s chief
domestic policy adviser.
Porter said the administration would
attempt to expedite Senate passage
and seek a similar agreement in the
House, where clean-air legislation
remains in committee.
But the compromise is still likely
to encounter stiff industry lobbying,
largely because of its estimated $20
billion to $40 billion annual cost to
the economy.
Some senators also have expressed
concern that the bargaining wcak
ened provisions in the original Senate
bill that would have required stronger
automobile emission controls to
combat urban smog. Other have voiced
continued concern about the impact
of acid rain controls.
Sen. Bob Dolc,R-Kan.,thcminor
ity leader, called the compromise ‘ ‘a
giant step forward” in revising fed
eral air pollution laws for the lirst
time in 13 years. But he cautioned
that many senators likely will seek
changes when the measure goes to the
Senate floor.
He urged Mitchell ‘‘not to hand
cuff anyone” during the floor action
by rushing to cut off debate.
The agreement made some accom
modations to regional interests, espe
cially those concerned about the local
economic cost of acid rain controls.
On that score, the compromise
continues to require a 10 million ton
annual reduction of sulfur dioxide
emissions, but allows Midwest utili
ties to achieve special credits that
could be sold to other utilities to re
coup some of the costs. Plants that use
new technology - instead of switch
ing away from high-sulfur coal to
another fuel -- would receive addi
tional credits for early cuts in emis
sions, a provision designed to help
West Virginia’s coal industry.
About a dozen senators from the
Midwest had threatened to filibuster
the legislation if some accommoda
tion were not met to case their con
cerns about the high costs of the pol
lution controls.
Mitchell said he still could not
discount the threat of a filibuster, but
various Senate sources suggested that
with the compromise, Mitchell likely
would have enough votes to halt debate.
Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., said
he would seek additional changes to
the bill. But “I’m not going to engage
in any filibuster,’’ he said.
The breakthrough on the legisla
tion came Wednesday when leaders
agreed on pollution curbs on automo
biles.
The compromise eliminates an
automatic second round of auto tail
pipe controls, although such meas
ures could be put into effect if more
than 11 of 27 cities with “serious”
o/.onc pollution problems fail to meet
federal air quality standards at the
end of this decade.
The White House had strongly
opposed the second round of con
trols, as had the auto industry. But
environmentalists, state pollution
control officials in areas with the dirtiest
air, and some senators argued the
second round of controls arc needed
to deal with smog in such areas as
southern California and the North
east.
In the final days of negotiations,
an agreement also came on the acid
rain provision, after senators from the
West were assured that the utility
emission controls would allow for
future growth in electric capacity and
some accommodation was made to
the Midwest region.
LE SACRE DU PRINTEMPS
Beatrlz Rodriguez as the Chosen One.
Photographer Herbert Migdoll
The Joffrey Ballet
accompanied by the Lincoln
Symphony Orchestra.
Students and youth (18 yrs. and
under) — half price tickets.
' teJeffrey
BaHet..
An American Classic
Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino,
„**.»** Founder*
l MAM Gerald Arpino, Jti
J JJj > Artistic Director jdZ
Mid-America Arts Alliance Program with the Nebraska Arts Cou
Experience the
power, passion and
grace of The Joffrey
Ballet. Only at the
Lied Center for
Performing Arts.
Friday, March 9, 8:00 pm
Saturday, March 10, 8:00 pm
“Italian Suite”
“Lacrymosa” (Premiere)
“Le Sacre du Printemps”
Ticket Prices $24, $20, $14
Saturday, March 10, 2:00 pm
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“Monotones I and II”
“Suite Saint-Saens”
Ticket Prices $22, $18, $12
Call 472-4747 or toll free
1-800-432-3231
NetSraskan
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