FREON EASY

But that doesn't bother Becky Fenger. She's got a new motto: "Today, Arizona. Tomorrow, the nation."

Fenger's keeping close tabs on the Texas legislation. She says she's gotten calls from Idaho, California and New York.

Instead of a laughingstock, she says, Arizona is "being the toast of the nation!"

On the federal level, U.S. Representative Tom DeLay of Houston, the House majority whip, has introduced a bill to repeal the section of the Clean Air Act pertaining to stratospheric ozone depletion. DeLay, whose nickname is "Mr. DeReg," is a former exterminator from Houston. He recently told the Washington Post that federal environmental regulations "drove me crazy."

He doesn't believe the Montreal Protocol is "based on good science," according to an aide.

DeLay's bill has been assigned to the House Commerce Committee.
Representative Bob Stump is the only member of Arizona's congressional delegation on record in favor of CFCs. He voted against the Clean Air Act amendments in 1990, and twice has co-sponsored unsuccessful legislation that called for the establishment of a presidential commission to investigate the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol.

Jean McGrath says she's received support from every member of the Arizona congressional delegation, with the exception of representatives Jim Kolbe and Ed Pastor, whom she hasn't had a chance to speak with.

Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl and representatives J.D. Hayworth, Jim Kolbe and John Shadegg didn't respond to inquiries about their positions. Representative Matt Salmon's press secretary says her boss doesn't want to go on the record.

Representative Ed Pastor, the delegation's lone Democrat, does: "I believe that international scientific opinion, international treaties and federal law have already decided the issue. The state legislature should spend its time on issues of more importance to Arizonans, like the education and health of our children.