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Show In ci People, Politics & Policy in Pleasant Grove Geneva deserves valley's support j By E. MARK BEZZANT Utah County Commissioner Brent Morris ignited a firestorm of controversy when he blasted Geneva Ge-neva Steel in an orchestrated news conference he held Jan. 30. Almost immediately the community was polarized with emotional feelings. Rather than clarify issues and shed light on environmental concerns to all citizens, the commissioner polluted pol-luted the environment making it more difficult to clear the air. Normally assertions such as those made by commissioner Morris Mor-ris would not dignify aresponse but the blatant nature of these statements state-ments coming from one in a position posi-tion of public trust should not go unanswered, because they fly in the face of reason, fairness and lack historical perspective. The issue is not which side supports sup-ports clean air. Both sides do. In the early 1980s Geneva spent over $200 million to improve the environment envi-ronment in Utah County. They currently spend some $40 million per year to maintain, operate and improve pollution control equipment equip-ment and are currently investing another $5 million on more equipment. equip-ment. Their efforts have removed about 97 percent of the pollution the plant once emitted. In 1987 congress passed what is called the "Clean Air Act" which mandated even stricter air quality standards. These standards required re-quired that the air be screened of microscopic particles less than one tenth the diameter of a human hair, particles so small not even your car air filter is designed to capture them. Each state was then required to develop standards and guidelines to enforce the law. Utah went to work, and will complete these standards and guidelines by June 30 of this year. At or before this time, Geneva will be required to submit plans to comply with what will then be the law. Geneva has a maximum of three years to comply but must comply more quickly unless they prove the full threeyears is needed. The burdent of proof is on steel plant. Right now the state and Geneva are completing vital studies that will determine the type and amount of pollution they are dealing deal-ing with. Without this data and without the state standards Geneva Ge-neva could throw millions of dollars at the problem and not correct it because they would be without the benefit of accurate data and proper analysis. According to Burnell Cordner who heads the Bureau of Air Quality Qual-ity for the state, and is Den a Bezzant's cousin, Geneva has been very cooperative. In fact he indicated indi-cated that Geneva has been exem plary in many ways by not' t law suits that could have t implementation of pollutio-f trols for an unspecified an,, ! ( time. In fact, Geneva is realU.1 c the county by hiring expert' will verify the data and see-' is properly interpreted i c0 demand to begin worknot u going to Jim's Auto and dent 00 repairs before he anaW sa problem and has the tec! manuals. 1 w The suggestion that fe! f discontinue charitable cr' . tions and suspend incentive- 'z; shocking. Genevahasbeena: corporate citizen and lat donated more to charity tra-i riswantstospendonpolhtt f1 men and women compromise 'n Geneva team earned eveijj they were paid. In fact, -i t people took pay cuts with tt they could bring back to j: 81 make profitable a termini; 01 steel mill. What they have:. CC 18 months is nothing short :i economic miracle. These mi:! women took an incredibleria1 . won and Utah has won with. f Thank God there fens-.-pany who pays their wore wage they can raise" a family: (J Don't think that Geneva;? only source of pollution ki county. Our autos, our firepi our woodburning stoves, ties: the roads, BYU, farmers bo weeds and limbs, etc., eft, e contributors to the problem!;: will all have to change twi and frankly Geneva may Is1 best friend we have, becaE re want accurate data. I f0 Do you want comms: Morris demanding that yon: installing pollution control;:; jy hard data is in and properly:! st preted? I don't. Mr. Morris! Ci again zeal for clean airss: ' little phony when you const in 1986 this same cor.itvfe was threatening the feilsk they told Utah County tot their act. His zeal seems a: Johnny-come-late compas millions Geneva has alreac';; to improve the environnwl I guess it all boils dom ( youwanttobelieve.Youcar,:' j former assistant to Gary A-and A-and politician Morris ory: listen to the voice of reason? voice of Joe Cannon failed to meet a payroll si" opened Geneva's doors. If)1-, a reference you might touc with Dr. Robert Richards.' in Pleasant Grove. Hear, mission companions. J Clean air is one thing,1; . bashing is another. Lets) Geneva team and stop ; tion. i |