FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         ENR
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1997                         (202) 514-2008
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

                                 
            SHERWIN WILLIAMS, LTV STEEL AGREE TO MAJOR
                   SOUTHSIDE CHICAGO CLEANUP   

    Both Companies to Spend Millions on Fines and Cleanup Work
               to Resolve Environmental Violations


     CHICAGO, IL -- Reflecting the Administration's commitment to
urban environmental renewal, public health protection and strong
environmental enforcement, the United States announced today that
Sherwin Williams and LTV Steel will help clean up the environment
in Chicago, and pay civil penalties for pollution generated by
their manufacturing facilities located on the Southside of
Chicago.  The two settlements were filed today in U.S. District
Court in Chicago.

     Sherwin Williams, the well known paint manufacturer, will
pay nearly $5 million in civil penalties, spend more than $1
million on additional environmental cleanup projects, and likely
spend millions of dollars to clean up contamination at its south
Chicago manufacturing facility.  It also will improve its
pollution controls to avoid future violations of environmental
laws.

     EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner said, "When I came to
Chicago in June 1993 to announce the filing of the Sherwin
Williams action, I said that this Administration was committed to
protecting the health of all Americans.  Today's action is a
significant demonstration of that commitment -- enforcing the
laws that protect public health and the environment.  When
polluters flagrantly disregard the laws, we will take swift
action against them and not allow them to profit at the expense
of our citizens."

     Lois Schiffer, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the
Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division
said,  "With these two settlements, the citizens of south Chicago
will have a cleaner, healthier environment.  Strong environmental
enforcement is essential to protect public health and ensure a
clean environment -- for all Americans." 

     Jim Burns, United States Attorney for the Northern District
of Illinois said, "These two companies, which operate on the
Southside of Chicago, will now help to provide the community with
a cleaner environment.  The special projects they will perform
should benefit Chicago's environment for years to come, and are
good examples of environmental justice at work."

     In a 1993 lawsuit, the United States alleged Sherwin
Williams violated federal environmental laws by:

        failing to identify and properly handle hazardous
          wastes, including potentially dangerous, carcinogenic
          paint by-products;

         failing to control emissions of volatile organic
          compounds, or VOCs.  VOCs contribute to the formation
          of ground-level ozone, or smog, which impairs breathing
          and can worsen the effects of asthma, chronic
          bronchitis and emphysema; and,

         discharging high levels of organic solvents and toxic
          metals into the local sewer system.  The high levels of
          organic solvents created a risk of fire or explosion. 

     As part of its settlement, Sherwin Williams will spend $1.1
million to restore two areas in south Chicago.  These include:

         $950,000 to clean up and restore the Victory
          Heights/Maple Park site, a group of old and abandoned
          industrial sites - also known as Brownfields.  The City
          of Chicago identified this site for cleanup and
          commercial redevelopment; and,

         $150,000 to restore wetlands and protect habitat near
          Indian Creek and Lake Calumet.

     Under the second settlement, LTV Steel will pay a $1.25
million civil penalty, and spend more than $1 million on a
supplemental environmental project that will reduce air emissions
at its south Chicago plant well beyond that required by federal
law.

     In a complaint filed along with the settlement, the United
States alleged that LTV emitted high levels of coke oven gas and
particulates from its south Chicago plant on numerous, regular
occasions from 1979 to 1994, in violation of the Clean Air Act. 
Coke is one of the basic materials needed to convert iron ore
into steel.

     At LTV's coke battery, coke is produced by heating
pulverized coal under pressure in a battery of 60 ovens.  During
heating, gas emissions can leak out through faulty door seals and
oven lids.  Raw coke oven gas also is released into the
atmosphere intentionally through bleeder stacks when pressure
inside the oven becomes excessive.

     Coke oven emissions consist of fine particles and gas
containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide,
lead, arsenic and benzene.  The putrid emissions are highly
toxic, and can lead to numerous maladies, including respiratory
ailments, heart attacks, asthma and cancer.

     After EPA began enforcement actions against LTV in 1994, the
company reduced particulate emissions, or soot, from its coke
ovens by 98 percent.  Instead of releasing emissions from each
coke oven directly into the atmosphere, under LTV's plan,
emissions from one oven will fuel the next coke oven in series,
thereby controlling emissions well beyond what the law requires. 
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97-042