Public Interest Research Group Reports on Waterway Pollution

Industry discharged 1 billion pounds of toxic chemicals into U.S. waterways from 1992 to 1996, and the Mississippi River was the most heavily used dumping site, public interest advocates said Friday.

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group charged that many of the chemicals are known to cause health problems and called for more information about them.

“Millions of Americans rely on our waterways for drinking water sources, and swimming and fishing destinations. Without more complete information on the use and release of toxic chemicals, . . . we cannot protect ourselves,” said U.S. PIRG advocate Allison LaPlante.

The group said it analyzed toxic chemical releases in major waterways as reported by industries under the federal Community Right to Know Act. But U.S. PIRG charged that many dangerous dioxin, lead and mercury releases are not covered by the act.

Following the Mississippi, other top toxic dumping sites included: the Ohio River, the Brazos River in Texas, Connoquenessing Creek in Pennsylvania, the Rock River in Illinois, Pacific Ocean sites off Oregon, California and Hawaii, the Savannah River, the Tennessee River, the Delaware River and the Houston Ship Channel.

This week, the federal government announced it took action against two oil refiners in the Mississippi River basin.

Shell Oil Co. agreed to pay $1.5 million in fines and complete environmental projects valued at more than $10 million to settle government claims that its Wood River Refinery in Roxana, Ill., violated emission standards.

Atty. Gen. Janet Reno also said the Justice Department filed a complaint Wednesday charging that Clark Refining and Marketing Inc.’s Blue Island refinery near Chicago violated the Clean Air and Clean Water acts.