Hodel and the Ozone Layer

The depletion of the ozone layer is one of the most massive environmental threats facing the planet. Secretary of the Interior Donald P. Hodel’s suggestion (Times, May 30), “Hodel Proposal Irks Environmentalists,” that our only response should be sunglasses, hats and sunscreen is ludicrous; it is outrageous; and it is irresponsible. It is on par with the Reagan Administration’s suggestion that with enough shovels, people could protect against nuclear attack.

We have known since 1974 that chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs deplete the ozone layer. We have also known the solution--eliminating or at least reducing the emissions of CFCs. The United States has been at the forefront of the solution, first banning CFCs in aerosol propellents in 1978, and then taking an aggressive lead in the ongoing international negotiations to protect the ozone layer.

On April 10, I introduced the Stratospheric Ozone Protection Act of 1987, the only legislation in Congress to mandate CFC reductions and restrict trade in those substances. I am encouraged that 24 of my colleagues in the House of Representatives have signed on as co-sponsors. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, I will be working for passage of this important measure.

The current Administration’s position of a freeze and then 95% phase-out of CFC emissions is a responsible one. I am dismayed that certain members of the Administration are considering weakening their position or abandoning it in favor of hats, sunglasses and sunscreen.

Birds cannot wear hats and whales cannot wear sunglasses. We cannot put sunscreen on the atmosphere to prevent dangerous ultraviolet radiation from irreversibly altering plant and animal life. And none of these things will stop CFCs from contributing to the greenhouse effect. The depletion of the ozone layer will have a profound effect on the sustainability of the entire planet. It will not be reversed by a public relations campaign.

That these measures are even being considered reveals a profound lack of appreciation of the severity of the problem on the part of certain Administration officials. CFCs have a lifetime of close to a century. We must act now to avert environmental catastrophe. The Administration should not abandon its position and leadership on this issue.

JIM BATES

Member of Congress

44th District

San Diego