Iowa Department of Natural Resources officials say businesses which haveY-2-K problems with their emissions equipment could face fines or otheraction. D-N-R air quality specialist Brian Button says the millennium bugwill not be considered an excuse for violations.Some computers controlling air emissions may not be able to read the year2000 on January 1st. Button says the D-N-R will review such casesindividually.Button says Iowa is at the edge of the Midwestern industrial belt. He saysmuch of the industry is centered in eastern Iowa. There are about 300 facilities in the state considered major sources ofemissions and the D-N-R issues several thousand other permits to smallerfacilities. Button says there is no way to tell how well businesses andmanufacturers are doing in making their equipment Y2K ready.Button says the D-N-R has had to deal with the Y2K issue with its ownequipment. He says all the computers on the air monitoring equipment arebeing upgraded to comply.
Iowa's Radio News Network
