No Change in Status Quo Of Black Rock, Bok Says

President Bok said privately yesterday that the University has not changed its attitude toward its trusteeship of Black Rock Forest near Cornwall, N.Y.

In a telephone conversation, Bok told Lance R. Matteson, '74, president of Harvard Ecology Action, that "there is no change in the status quo" concerning the disposition of the forest.

Bok could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Matteson interpreted the statement as an implicit continuation of the policy of President Emeritus Nathan M. Pusey '28. Pusey said near the end of his presidency that the University had "no desire to have land under our trusteeship used for the purposed proposed by Con Ed."

Consolidated Edison, the New York power utility, would need 240 acres of the forest to build a controversial pumped-stroage power project at Storm King Mountain, a plan which has been tied up in litigation for ten years. Con Ed last approached the University concerning purchase of the land shortly before the beginning of the Bok Administration.

Matteson said yesterday that Bok had implied that "it was partly The Crimson's fault that there was an impression that a sale decision was imminent."

The Crimson has for several weeks been covering reaction to a special committee report concerning Black Rock Forest. The report included a recommendation that Harvard urge solutions to environmental problems but take no action to prevent construction of the project such as refusing to sell a portion of its Black Rock land.

This recommendation has been widely criticized by several environmental groups, including Scenic Hudson Preservation Converence, Harvard Ecology Action and the Law School's Environmental Law Society. The family of Ernest G. Stillman '08, who gave the forest to the University, also has expressed its opposition to the recommendation.

Daniel Steiner '54, general counsel to the University, had previously said that a decision concerning the committee report would be made in mid-February.

Bok told Matteson, however, that search for a new Dean for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and budget considerations have lowered the priority of the report.

Harvard owns about $8.4 million of Con Ed bonds and 3460 shares of stock in the company worth about $83,000, according to the current treasurer's report.

Steiner said yesterday that he did not know of the stock and bonds, and that they "have never come up in conversations" between him and Bok concerning the forest.

Steiner added that the University's financial interest in Con Ed would not affect any decisions relating to the company.