Canadian Envoy Criticizes U.S. Effort in Combatting Acid Rain

Ambassador Allan E. Gotlieb of Canada said Thursday that President Reagan’s support of a $2.5-billion program to combat acid rain by developing new technological controls was “not sufficient” to allay Canada’s alarm over mounting environmental damage from emissions in the United States.

“We’ve been disappointed at the progress made. We had hoped for more,” Gotlieb, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, said in an interview in Los Angeles.

Gotlieb’s remarks, as well as those prepared for delivery today at an acid rain conference at USC, come at a time when acid rain has become a major irritant in U.S.-Canada relations.

Can React to Form Acids

Atmospheric acidity in the form of acid rain, acid fog or dry deposition is primarily the result of oxides of nitrogen and sulfur from motor vehicles and such industrial sources as power plants. They can react in the atmosphere to form nitric and sulfuric acids as well as smog.

The Reagan Administration three weeks ago announced that it will ask Congress this year to appropriate $2.5 billion over a five-year period as the federal government’s share of a $5-billion program to develop “innovative” technologies to control those emissions that result in acid rain in the Northeastern United States and in Canada.

But, Gotlieb made clear on Thursday that Canadians consider the proposal only an “opening” gambit in negotiations that Canada hopes will result in a major acid rain treaty sought by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Gotlieb pointedly noted that while the proposed expenditures were welcomed, the President’s program contained no deadlines.

“Without targets it will take too long and much damage will occur,” Gotlieb said. “Technology without a specific obligation is not sufficient.”

Add Up Damage

Gotlieb repeated Canada’s long-held position that U.S. emissions of sulfur dioxides be cut by 50% by 1994. Canada has reported that acid rain has destroyed the ecosystems of 14,000 Canadian lakes and endangered another 40,000.

As important as acid rain’s impact on the environment is the impact on U.S.-Canadian relations. As recently as last week, the Canadian consulate in Los Angeles said the issue “has been testing the friendship and cooperation of the two largest trading partners in the world. . . . “

Gotlieb said his government continues to hold out hope that a planned U.S.-Canada summit later this year would produce a long-sought acid rain agreement.

But Canadian officials are known to be concerned that time is running out for the Reagan Administration to act.

In remarks prepared for delivery today, Gotlieb complained, “The Administration has itself been of not two but several minds on this issue. It is divided between those who want to see action, those who are skeptical that the science justifies the expense, and those who oppose environmental regulation as an act of faith.”

‘Mildly Schizophrenic’

“It is further divided between those who accept that the U.S.A. has a legal obligation to Canada to act and those who see the whole issue as a Canadian conspiracy to increase electricity exports. This mildly schizophrenic frame of mind has made our work with the Administation a pathway fraught with pitfalls and digressions.”

The envoy said there was “deep frustration and concern” in Canada with the “snail’s pace” of U.S. action. He said Canadians are solidly in support of a strong accord to control acid depositions.

And he assailed what he said was the ability of special interests and regional political considerations to frustrate progress.

“There is no assurance that the Senate and the House will see eye-to-eye on a given issue. Add to that the modest party discipline that prevails in Congress, the influence of special interests, the modus operandi of the committees, the dispersion and fragmentation of power, and the true scope of the problem becomes apparent,” Gotlieb said.

“I need hardly add, that Canada, a nation of 25 million, adds not one vote to a congressman’s balance sheet,” he said.