European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 1, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes sunday july 1 1990 use warning for paint Washington not a the environmental Protection Agency announced Friday that it was Banning the use of Mercury in Interior Latex paint saying the toxic chemical posed an unacceptable health risk the Agency also said Latex paints for exterior use will soon carry warning labels if they contain Mercury. Paint companies Are not now required to list Mercury among ingredients for Interior and exterior paints. The announcement follows a voluntary agreement Between e a officials and paint Industry executives said Linda Fisher the Agency s assistant administrator for pesticides and toxic substances the ban will take effect aug 20 paint producers will Start using warning labels by july 23. A Given the wide exposure to paints we Are especially concerned about the possible hazards to children pregnant women and painters a Fisher said the Agency suggested that Consumers not use paints with Mercury for Interior surfaces echoing a warning in March by officials at the National centers for disease control in Atlanta e along with removing Mercury from paints the producers Nave agreed to Canvas retail outlets and place warning labels on any Interior paint stocks that have Mercury at Levels above 200 parts per million. The current permissible level for Interior paints is 300 parts per million. Despite the agreement with the government paint Philly derailment the Mon Trealer an Amtrak train in route from Montreal to Washington d.c., derailed Friday afternoon while approaching Philadelphia s 30th Street station. Authorities said the Engineer was Hurt there were no reports of injuries to other Crew members or the 94 passengers. The engine and first three cars of the eight car train derailed near the Philadelphia zoo about 1 i Miles from the station. It occurred at a track switch but the cause of the Accident was not known. The cars remained upright and no major disruption in Northeast corridor sen ice w As reported because adjacent tracks were in use. Industry officials said that they did not believe that paints containing Mercury posed a health risk. A we Don t believe there is any scientific evidence to Stop Consumers from using products on the Market Quot said Marilyn Ludwig the director of communications for the National paint and coatings association a Trade group in Washington. Mercury is added to some Latex paints to retard the growth of bacteria and mildew. Exposure to the chemical has Long been known to produce neurological disorders As Well As kidney and liver problems. Epa officials estimated that Mercury is used in 25 percent to 30 percent of All Interior Latex paints and in 20 percent to 35 percent of outdoor Latex paints. But during interviews in april several major National paint producers said they had not used Mercury in paint for years. Federal health officials began to investigate the possible health threats posed by Mercury  paint after a 4-year-old boy became ill from Mercury poisoning last August 10 Days after his Home was parted. He was subsequently hospitalized for several months. Tests of Interior paint use Din the boy s House showed it had 900 parts per million of Mercury three times the Legal limit. Follow up tests on other Homes in the area that had used paint made by the same manufacturer also found a High Mercury Content in the urine of occupants adults As Well As children. New rules prompt Nea to veto funds for four artists Boston apr the National endowment for the arts working under anti obscenity funding restrictions denied Grants to four performance artists whose acts have Strong sexual Content. The four artists each of whom had received Grants in the past were initially recommended by the endow a mentus peer panel. Their Grants were denied Friday by the Nea s 26-member Council and chairman John Frohnmayer fourteen other artists that the panel recommended were awarded $104,000. Frohnmayer speaking in Portland ore., said the Feder a Agency s survival is threatened by a handful of controversial Art pieces. Two Days earlier in Seattle Frohnmayer said a political realities meant he would Likely have to veto some Grants recommended by the panel. A a remarkable Experiment that has lasted the last 25 years and has so enriched our country is indeed threatened. Because of 20 images out of a million we have funded a Frohnmayer told the City club in Portland. The Nea s 1990 appropriations Bill included anti obscenity restrictions adopted amid protests Over works such As Robert Mapplethorpe a homoerotic photography and Andres Serrano s Crucifix submerged in Unne a both of which received Federal funds. Fridays decision prompted charges that the artists were the latest victims in a movement to Clamp Down on artistic Freedom. A pm outraged Quot said John Fleck a los Angeles based performance artist whose pieces touch on such topics As aids religion the environment and homosexuality. A i think there a a Strong movement going on to wipe out different voices to have a homogeneous voice that suits certain people s morals a Fleck said. Last year Reck received an Nea Grant. But his application was rejected Friday along with those of artists Tim Miller Holly Hughes and Karen Finley. A we feel basically that its like the Wail is going Down in Berlin while it s coming up Here in the United states a said Michael Over who is Finley a husband and manager. Philip Arnoult director of the theater project in Baltimore said distorted descriptions of the artists work in the Media had done a terrible damage to the performers themselves. A these Are fellowships for artists who Are making a significant contribution to the Field in the soil performance world Quot said Arnoult who was chairman of the a panel on theater. Quot and some of them Are dealing with f issues of sexual identity of oppression in society of the plague of  in recent weeks such venerable arts groups As the new i Ork and Oregon Shakespeare festivals the University of Iowa press and the Paris and Gettysburg reviews have returned they 1991 Nea Grants to pc it test the Federal anti obscenity guidelines. Stateside guard copter executes difficult Rescue Mission Westhampton Beach . Asp a a severely injured crewman was lifted Oft a turkish freighter in the Atlantic and flown to a Hospital in Bermuda by an air National guard helicopter that required three in air Refu Elings to perform the mis. Sion a guard spokesman said Friday. The injured Seaman Seta Haton 26, a Turk fractured his Skull and both arms when he fell into a cargo bin of the Anadolu an turkish Flag vessel bound for Virginia according to mat. Richard Marino Deputy commander of the 106th air Rescue group. Haton was treated by paramedics who parachuted to the ship wednesday night Marino said. The paramedics radioed on thursday that he needed to be hospitalized and a helicopter was sent from the Westhampton Beach air station. The helicopter which had a Range of about 300 Miles was accompanied by fuel carrying c-130 air planes on the 550-mile flight to the vessel and the 250 Miles from there to Bermuda Marino said. Haton was admitted to Hamilton hos pita in guarded condition he said. Lufthansa setting up direct flights from . Indianapolis up a officials of lift Hansa West Germany s National airline will visit Indianapolis and other . Cities in july to discuss starting a connector service to West Germany mayor William h. Hudnut said. Hudnut disclosed the plan during a speech to a group of businessmen. Quot. Hudnut said Lufthansa had talked previously with City and Airport officials. He said officers with the airline indicated by Telephone that the service was setting up connector Points with several airports in the United states including Indianapolis. If selected Indianapolis would be Able to establish direct flights to Frankfurt and Cologne in West Germany. Rights from Indianapolis International Airport now must connect with West German flights at Chicago of Hare or greater Cincinnati International Airport at Covington by the Only direct International flights from Indianapolis currently Are to Cancun Mexico and Toronto Ford announces plans to Idle some Auto plants Detroit up a Ford motor co. Said Friday that it will Idle its Mustang car Plant in Dea Toom mich., the week of july 16 and its Oakville Ontario compact car Plant the weeks of july 23 and aug. 13 because of a shortage of dealer orders. The one week closure at Dearborn will Idle about 2,100 hourly workers and reduce Mustang output by 3,700 units. It comes one Day after the Plant was visited by anti apartheid Leader Nelson Mandela who was greeted by wildly cheering autoworkers. Alt . And Canadian Ford Assembly plants will be closed the first two weeks of july for annual vacations except for its Oakville car and truck Plant which is closed for three weeks Ford of Canada spokesman Jim Hartford said. Hartford said Fords Oakville car Plant which makes Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz compact cars will also be idled the fourth week of july and the week of aug. 13 As it winds Down production of 1990 models and gets inventory More in line with consumer demand 40 Yukon sightseers Hurt in tour train Accident Skagway Alaska apr a locomotive crashed into a train of passenger care carrying sightseers on a tour of the historic Klondike Gold Rush Trail injuring 40 people officials said. None of the passengers was seriously injured in the Accident. All rejoined their tour group aboard the cruise ship Viking serenade in Juneau said Paul Taylor vice president of the White pass and Yukon route Railroad. The Accident happened after the train carrying 170 people on an excursion trip from Skagway reached the top of the 2,800-foot White pass Summit on the Canadian Side of the Border. The locomotive was preparing to re couple with the passenger cars  return trip when it apparently failed to slow Down and rammed into the cars Taylor said