Citizens' Group Asks Bok To Aid Power Plant Fight

The Arkansas Community Organization for Reform Now (ACORN) wrote to President Bok on Monday asking the University to aid the group in its battle against a power plant proposed by the Arkansas Power and Light Company (AP&L).

The group also is asking Faculty members and students to support its effort.

ACORN is a citizens' group whose major concern is the "preservation and enhancement of the quality of life" of low-to-moderate-income people in Arkansas.

Harvard is the largest single stockholder in Middle South Utilities Inc., a holding company which owns AP&L and five other power companies.

Bok said yesterday that he had not yet read the letter from ACORN, and had no comment on the group's requests.

The letter asks that Harvard:

* Have representatives of the University meet with ACORN to discuss the project:

* Use part of the profits from its Middle South stock to finance an independent study by faculty members to determine whether there is a real need for the plant in Arkansas, assess what its economic and environmental effects would be, and develop "objective indices of possible damages;" and,

* Intervene in the project with ACORN in hearings before the Arkansas Public Service Commission.

Sulfur Dioxide

The organization opposes AP&L's proposed 2800-megawatt coal-burning plant because it fears the facility will emit large amounts of sulfur dioxide, causing damage to crops, buildings, equipment, water supplies and health of nearby farmers.

A group of farmers associated with ACORN expressed those fears Monday in petitions to AP&L President Reeves Ritchie, presented to the utility's England, Ark., office.

The organization asked the utility to establish a "deposit in reverse," which would guarantee payment for farmers who incurred damages from the plant's operation.

ACORN's letter to Bok asked Harvard to use its influence as a stockholder in Middle South to "persuade" the utility to establish the fund. It also asked that the University press the utility not to build the plant unless effective pollution controls are provided.

The Student Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility asked the University in an unanimous vote to exert pressure on Middle South to provide environmental controls.

A spokesman for AP&L said yesterday that the utility was preparing a response to the petitions, and declined to make specific comment on them.

He said, however, that AP&L was a "good corporate citizen" and had always paid "legitimate claims" for damages in the past