GREAT LAKES GOVERNORS ENDORSE POLLUTION PLAN

CHICAGO, APRIL 12 -- CHICAGO, APRIL 12 -- The Environmental Protection Agency and the governors of the Great Lakes states announced a voluntary "pollution prevention" program today that EPA Administrator William K. Reilly predicted would meet the agency's goal of a 50 percent cut in the discharge of certain toxic chemicals into the lakes by the end of 1995.

"Pollution prevention" is the buzzphrase for changes in manufacturing that generate less pollution. The approach stands in contrast to older methods that try to remove pollutants from a factory's output.

Environmental groups generally praised the program as an important "first step," but some warned that a purely voluntary approach would never end pollution of the Great Lakes, the largest collection of fresh water bodies in the world.

"Voluntary reduction of a few pollutants is only a starting place," Carolyn Raffensperger, staff director of the Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club, said in a statement. "That alone will not clean the Great Lakes without other strong, well-funded programs. We need the big stick to match this carrot."

The sharpest criticism came from Jack Weinberg, coordinator of the Greenpeace Great Lakes project, who called today's announcement a "feel-good program targeted at public approval ratings, not at cleaning up the poisons in the Great Lakes." He said the program was inadequate in part because it covers only 17 toxic chemicals among thousands that flow into the lakes and did not include "a single enforceable pollution prevention" measure.

Reilly replied that EPA and the states will continue to enforce all existing pollution laws while encouraging voluntary steps toward additional cuts in toxic discharges and that there would be no "vacation" from the terms of those laws for industries that join the voluntary effort.

Reilly was joined at a news conference here by the five Republican governors of Great Lakes states -- Arne H. Carlson of Minnesota, Jim Edgar of Illinois, John Engler of Michigan, Tommy G. Thompson of Wisconsin and George Voinovich of Ohio. Christine Perovich, spokeswoman for the Council of Great Lakes Governors, said it was "pure coincidence" that the three Democratic members of the council were not here because of scheduling and other conflicts. She said the Democrats -- Govs. Evan Bayh of Indiana, Robert P. Casey of Pennsylvania and Mario M. Cuomo of New York -- fully supported the voluntary program.

Under the plan announced today, the EPA and state governments will encourage industries and others to adopt pollution prevention programs targeted at specific toxic chemicals and certain geographic areas of the Great Lakes region. The geographic targets include the heavily industrialized area of northwest Indiana, the Niagara River and Milwaukee. The 17 toxic chemicals covered by the plan are among those targeted by a nationwide EPA effort to reduce the discharge of those substances by 33 percent by the end of 1992 and 50 percent by the end of 1995.

Incentives to industry include promises of public recognition of voluntary pollution prevention measures that could be used in advertising and marketing campaigns. Among the specific projects included in the plan is a cooperative effort between the states and the Big Three U.S. auto makers to identify and reduce toxic substances that are part of the automobile manufacturing process.

Articles appear as they were originally printed in The Washington Post and may not include subsequent corrections.