CONFUSING THE SCAPEGOATS

But the figure also shows the enormous increase in oil consumption: It is now more than double the highest-ever peak in coal. (A similar state holds for the rest of the world.)

Could it be that oil, rather than coal, is correlated with rain acidity? That is what is suggested by a recent DoE study (see below). The curves are just one tell-tale indication, but there are others.

As one would expect, the report is long on fuel consumption patterns, but short on geographic rain acidity variations. The latter are complicated anyway, because they depend on time of year and other factors as well as locality. However, there are the extreme cases where plenty of oil, but no coal, is burned: Hawaii, California, the Northeast, and also the Netherlands. The Northeast data may be somewhat distorted by westerly winds bringing in coal pollutants from the tall stacks in the Midwest, but data from California and Holland seem to be solid.

In the Netherlands, rain acidity appears to have increased just at the time when coal was replaced by oil in the area. California, which under Jerry Medfly Brown-outs enlightened governance uses coal-fired power only when the coal is burned under Mexican and Navajo Indian noses, has no western neighbors on which to blame air acidity; the patterns point to motor traffic and oil-fired plants. There is also some evidence in the US East to suggest that the wind brings in "precursors" from motor traffic concentrations rather than from coal-fired plants. ("Precursors" are pollutants, particularly sulfates and nitrous oxides, which react with water to give acid.)

As we pointed out seven years ago [March 1975], catalytic converters do produce sulfates and are a potential source of sulfuric acid. Could it be that EPA's publicity stunt on lead in gasoline will result not only in distracting attention from the lead poisoning of ghetto children, but also from a possible source of acid rain?

Perhaps not; but before the scientific data threaten to resolve the issue, perspicacious politicians should hurry with their legislation against coal-fired plants. Why would low-sulfur oil produce more acid rain than low-sulfur coal? The answer is not yet known; therefore, legislate! Have the California and Dutch data been misinterpreted? Perhaps, perhaps not; in any case, legislate! And besides: Legislate!

Legislate! Legislate!

[Acid Rain: Commentary on controversial issues and observation on the role of fuel burning by M. Szabo and others, Report DOE/MC/ 19170-11680, March 1982, publ. by Technical Info. Center, US DoE, Box 62, Oak Ridge, TN 37830; available from NTIS, Springfield, VA 22161, order no. DE 82016914, $18 for delivery in 9 weeks; or pay $10 extra for decent service.]