Something is drastically wrong wha a toderal agency has the pmver tothreatentheveryexisterrceolan industry which produces a vltal product and provides thousands oi jobs – particularly whusi the irnlustry is doing its best to comply with regnhtiouus. Our own Geneva Works of U.S. Steel Corp. happens to be the industry; the Duvirorummtal Pmtecr tion Agency is the bureau; and the regulatim is the Clean Air Act ui WH passed by Corgrus. The issue: Geneva says it can achieve mrnpliance with the law try the Dec. xl. it deadline with unission rmtrol imtallations costing $$0 million. EPA is demanding extra devics that would push the cost past $100 unillion. US. Steel oilicials declare the addai com would make Gnieva eeommically unviahle and force them to clone the plant. Thurs. with crucial negotiations hy Geneva, EPA, and the Utah Air Quality Board heading toward a climax this Tuesday and Thursday. the ituutim is grave. Anxiety mounts at Gsueva – Utah’s No. 3 industry andNo.liuuUta.hVa1leyvandinalI sectors of the state where closure of the plant would mean economic disaster. Everyhody wants the cleanest air they un get, of course. But people need tread and butter. too. That’s a must. No need here to elaborate on economic (acts – the tremendous value to the state and county of Geneva’s 5,000-6,llN im; the huge payroll that sparks our local eoonomy; the taxes paid hy this giant industry; the number of Utahns deperaient directly or indirectly on steel-making. ‘ People know that – inclodiug EPA and the State Air Quality Board. ‘liiese agmcies also are acquaintnl with Geneva financial records laid out for them by U.S. Steel. Plant ol-7 Hcials say that even with just its own proposed $50 million expenditunte, Geneva would have lost money in three of the pst live years. hnten evauinorie…andmadeaprolitiru only one. Business, industry. and tree enterprise are huilt on a vital principle – profit-making. When an enterprise become so burduied with expenseladm regulatio that it no longs mn make a prolit, it shuts down. ‘huis tact of lite conlronis Geneva. Genevahascomealorrgwayonits own to solve air problems. Even last year it spent an million for a”bag’ house” for nnisions control; and thisyear$l2mil1ionola$StImitI.on coke plant project is asociated with environmental improvement. The comoanv has shown good iaith. With its proposed $50 million program. Gaueva says air in every Utah Valley cummiuuity will he well withintheCl AirAt-trusguirunusut dust or particulatus to 75 micrograms or les per cubic meter nl air. The extn 50 million EPA wants spent, to Geneva atlicials, wnulddolittle orairqualityheyurud the freeway east nl the plant. That proposed reduction of 6 micrograms would cost more than 8 million per microgram of dust removed – pretty ritiiculousinoturview.tAmicrog1’anu, incidentally, is muly a nuiiliunth of a gram, or .tIlmtll3S of an ounce!) Recent Utah govanors and their administrations, recognizing the trunmdous value of payrulls and a hrmdened tax base. have gone all-out to attract and meourage indmy. The time has more tu the Utah Air Quality lloardto take the same stand and firmly back Gmeva Waits. Any t other course seems unthinkable. The Hu-ald calls uu this hoard aa ‘ well as EPAtntu1q;ertheirdesnarrds with reason f runesuiraiug that the PWIM u!Y’f’ WY”! W F15′! an Eden! on Gaeva for yah: ani eoonomi: bandits. . We know that autounoliln pollute air. But still we mast have than for tnnspnrtalim, so we tolerate the sitnatirau whilewework tolumrmveit. GiveGuuevncrrslitlorwhatithas donemandhetolnu-anti1thueiaur’t emugh mmey to clean qu eva-y microgram of dust. i lluNme, instead of pusialidng a valued industry, way not help humans toeiloruethelairtraulelawa on steel imports! with the anne ssl the air cleaner is pursued? ‘This will mugthsi uurownusmrsie steel indnstry. EPLaud the Utah hoard slaiulildaeGuueva pnpoal now. ‘s zgdehate and get on with the improvunenla.