European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 31, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes monday. October 31,1988 air pollution ruling worries Utility firms Washington a in a decision dismaying to Power companies throughout the country. Tic government has told a Wisconsin i Iliin that planned repairs to a Coal burning Power Plant will subject it to strict air pollution standards for new plants. Utilities arc worried because they fear the decision the first of its kind potentially could apply to hundreds of plants. The Energy department says the decision could jeopardize future Power supplies but environmentalists have praised the action. Wisconsin Elc cleric Power co. And the environmental Protection Agency which made the decision Are discussing whether plans for the repairs can be changed to avoid making the new Plant standards apply. The facility involved is the Wisconsin firm s port Washington plan in suburban Milwaukee. This will be setting a precedent for the entire country said Bob Beck Anvi Ron mental manager for the Edison elec tric Institute Trade association for the nation s private utilities. Wisconsin electric which had planned to spend about $71 million to replace cracked steam Drums says the work is Rou Tine maintenance and should nol trigger tougher air standards for new plants. Under inc Epa s pollution guidelines it could Cost the company $800 million to fix inc plan i Industry analysis say. Edwin Ranthony spokesman for the Trade group said the nation has 821 Coal Malkov than i a Walts my6gucss president Reagan and first Udy Nncy Rearan fill out their Absentee ballots saturday fur the 1988 National election. Is thai most of these smaller plants Are Over 35 years old he said. Utilities arc increasingly relying on life Extension projects to keep old plants running. Plants with a lax life of30 years can tic used for 60 years with careful renovation. The Energy department says As much As 25 percent of the nation s Fossil fuel capacity is produced at plants thai Are older than 30 years. That number will jump to 90 percent in 1010. Port Washington has live 80-Mcga Walt units Between the Ages of 38 and s3 years. In the past the Epa has not been involved in decisions involving Coal plan renovations because state authorities administering the Federal clean air act have never brought such projects to the Agency s attention. Wisconsin is the first to do so. The most important air Standard covers Fulfur Dix id emissions a principal raw material for acid rain. Port Washington now Burns Coal emitting 2.5 pounds Osul fur for every i million bus provided. A new Plant is limited to Between 0.6 and 1.2 pounds and must remove 70 per cent to 90 percent of the Fulfur in the Coal. As a a Raclin Mailer the Only Way for Anold Plant to comply with the standards is to install smog Siack scrubbers which Industry analysis my could Cost about $800 million Al port Washington. But the negotiators for inc Epa and Wisconsin electric might he Able to come up Wilh a solution that would re Duce air pollution while holding Down costs. Switching from Coal to Oil or Gas is an option. Dukakis gets 1 St time endorsement from paper in conservative Kansas by the associated press the Wichita Kan Eagle Beacon endorsed a Democrat for president sunday for the first time in its history saying that Michael Dukakis seems uniquely prepared to Deal with the crises certain to confront inc next  the Eagle Beacon the largest newspaper in heavily Republican Kansas said in an editorial published in sunday s editions thai the democratic candidate has shown much deeper sensitivity toward the struggles of millions of americans to make cans  editorial staffs of the two newspapers that merged to form the paper have Al ways backed the Republican candidate for president and have formally endorsed republicans since the 1960s, said George Neavoll editorial Page Zdilor. This year the editorial Board said it is disgusted with Republican nominee George Bush s negative Campaign tactics. "1 think it reveals the Broad distaste that the Bush Campaign really both campaigns has left in the Mouth of the american people Neavoll said. Governor Michael Dukakis has drawn criticism from his fellow democrats because he has refused or has been unable to match the republicans in mean spirited Ness and contempt for the american voters the newspaper said. The editorial also said that while Bush has More than 20 years in Public service he has led his fingerprints on so few positive  it also questioned Bush s Choice of sen. Dan Quayle of Indiana a feckless shallow politically immature Man As his vice presidential running mate. Dukakis also was endorsed by the new York times the Star Tribune of Minneapolis the Philadelphia inquirer the Charloe . Observer the Greensboro . News & record an new York s new Day _ which called Bush s Campaign snivelling dirty distorted and irresponsible the new York times said the Scales were lipped in Dukakis favor As inc candidate Likely to do a better Job of gelling America out of Hock from the Reagan administration s deficits which it cafe the most urgent task facing the next president. Bush picked up endorsements sunday from the Detroit news inc Seattle Post  and the Denver Post which said that after wiping away the mud from both candidates the Post believes George Bush is the belter  the vice president also was endorsed by the sunday org onion of Portland that slate s largest newspaper the Miami Herald and the Orlando Fla  was praised by the Daylong Beach Fla news journal. Dukakis won the endorsement of Ken Tucky s two largest papers the courier journal of Louisville and the Lexington Herald Leader. The St. Paul Minn Pioneer press dispatch endorsed both candidates say ing that its editorial Board is divided on which candidate would make the better  pcs Monics Register the largest newspaper in Iowa endorsed Dukakis As the better equipped candidate to turn the nation s attention to Long neglected Domestic needs. The paper criticized Bush a smear Campaign and his alarming Choice of Quayle As a running mate. The Cedar rapids Gazelle the Sec Ond largest paper in Iowa backed Bush for his Promise of no new taxes and his support for the nicaraguan Contra rebels and the Star wars plan for a space based missile defense system. Blast flattens building in ures 11 in Missouri capital Jefferson City to. A an explosion Early sunday levelled a Down town building severely damaged two adjacent apartment buildings and injured 11 people authorities said. The explosion about two blocks from the stale Capitol also broke windows in a number of stores and was fell by residents several Miles away. Police patrolled Down town streets to prevent looting. Authorities suspected that natural Gas triggered the blast said sol. Ralph Rob Ineil of the Missouri stale Highway patrol. "1 heard a very big explosion and Al the lights went out said Joyce Kelley who lived in one of the apartments and got out safely Wilh her 10-Monlh-old daughter. "1 started Yelling fire be cause i knew there were other people in the building the blast flattened the two Story building that housed the Missouri association for social welfare a private advocacy group fires that broke out in Smalt apart ment houses on either Side of inc build ing were brought under control about two hours later. Police said 13 people occupied units in the apartment buildings. Eleven were treated at hospitals for cuts and other minor injuries police said. Seventeen of 18 huge plate Glass win Dows in a food barn supermarket about three blocks away were blown out. We just feel fortunate it was t in the Middle of a Busy Day when there were lots of custom cars around said store manager Russell Warson