ENVIRONMENT

Air Force Proposes Banning CFCs: The Air Force has proposed banning ozone-depleting chemicals at its bases and government-owned defense plants by July because of new fears about the erosion of the Earth’s protective ozone layer. In a memorandum, Air Force Secretary Donald Rice proposes a ban--effective July 1--on the widely used toxic chlorofluorocarbons. That date is much earlier than President Bush’s proposed national ban on the use of CFCs--Dec. 31, 1995. The ban does not apply to the majority of defense plants that are owned by military contractors.