FRIENDS OF THE EARTH

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Many of the compounds that Dow intends to manufacture at the site are highly caustic. And the company wants to ship those substances (and others) in and out by way of the Carquinez Straits: a narrow, dangerous, and often overcrowded pass where heavy fogs are frequent. The possibility of a collision or some other maritime mishap is obvious . . . and so are the consequences should one of the ships involved be carrying Dow's products. Any spill of such chemicals would spell curtains for Suisan Marsh's fragile ecosystem.

Needless to say, FOE is vigorously opposing the proposed factory.

INTRODUCING: THE DIRTY DOZEN!

Each year, Environmental Action—a national organization of ecoactivists based in Washington, D.C.—releases a list naming the twelve members of the House of Representatives who have most frequently voted wrong on key environmental issues over the preceding twelve months. The "elite" group is called (aptly enough) "The Dirty Dozen" . . . and voters everywhere are urged to work to defeat any Congressman who has earned a place on the DD roster.

This year's Dirty Dozen includes: Goodloe Byron (D—Md.), Donald Clancy (R—Ohio), James Cleveland (R—N.H.), Samuel Devine (R—Ohio), John Flynt (D — Ga.), Charles Grassley (RIowa), Albert Johnson (R — Pa.), John Rhodes (R — Ariz.), Gene Snyder (R — Ky.), Steve Symms (R — Idaho), Burt Talcott (R — Calif.), and Richard White (D — Tex.l.

If any of the individuals above happens to be your U.S. Representative, you'd do well to vote against him . . . or better yet, to run against him!

200-MILE BILL PASSES!

Coastal fishermen can breathe a little easier now . . . and so can we! President Ford has finally signed into law a bill that extends this country's jurisdiction over the seas along its shores from twelve miles out to two hundred miles!

The need for such a measure—though hotly debated in Congress—has become more and more apparent over the years. Japan and several eastern European nations have huge and very efficient fishing fleets (as well as rather underdeveloped scruples) and have operated freely in waters off U.S. shores for decades.

The result has been severe depletion of a vital natural resource. Some of our coastal fish populations, in fact, have been so devastated that they're unable to reproduce in significant numbers. And the consequences of allowing that situation to continue have been all too obvious to both environmentalists and the U.S. seafood industry.

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