Acid in the Blarney

President Reagan indulged in a bit of blarney on St. Patrick’s Day in Quebec City. He promised to do exactly what he has always done on acid rain--nothing--and passed it off as something.

Reagan and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney have designated special ambassadors to devise a joint action program to clean up acid rain, the airborne pollution blamed for killing some forests and lakes in the Northeastern United States and Canada. Reagan said that together the two countries will find an answer to the problem. That much is true; the catch is that so far the only country that has taken real action on the question is Canada--when it moved recently to curb exhaust emissions, set a schedule for reducing pollution in each province and negotiate up to $150 million in financial aid for emission controls at smelters.

In contrast, Reagan has resolutely insisted that more research was needed. As a result, a bill that passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee never came to the floor, and a sensible proposal advanced by Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) died in a House subcommittee on a 10-9 vote last May. Both chambers will try again this year, but they need help from the White House.

Instead of any commitment toward working for a legislative solution, Reagan has named former Transportation Secretary Drew Lewis to meet with Mulroney’s designated emissary, former Ontario Premier William G. Davis. They are to report to their governments in a year. Mulroney says that the agreement takes acid rain off “the back burner.” If he really believes that, there’s a bridge in Brooklyn that he might like to buy.