August 30, 1984

The Environmental Protection Agency today rebuffed an appeal by three Eastern states for Federal action to curb acid rain and other air pollution from sources in the Middle West. The states, New York, Pennsylvania and Maine, filed petitionsin 1980 and 1981, saying pollutants from seven states in the Middle West were creating acidic precipitation, reducing visibility and interfering with their efforts to comply with Federal standards on clean air. E.P.A. Action Called 'Dishonest' Attorney General Robert Abrams of New York said the environmental agency's decision to deny ''acid rain relief'' to New York and other Northeastern states was ''legally distorted and scientifically dishonest.'' The petitions asked the environmental agency to invoke a provision of the Clean Air Act dealing with interstate pollution to require a reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants and other sources in Ohio, West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.

The Government index of leading indicators fell eight-tenths of 1 percent in July, the Commerce Department reported. It was the first time this index - intended to predict changes in economic direction - had declined two consecutive months since the beginning of 1982. The report was widely regarded as confirming a slowdown in the nation's economic growth. (Page A1.) A $14.1 billion trade deficit in July set a record as Americans bought a torrent of imported goods with the strong dollar. Exports also rose, but not nearly enough to narrow the gap. (D1.)

Hospital workers will not receive the 5 percent raise they won in their 47-day strike until Governor Cuomo gives assurances that he will provide additional state funds, if needed later, to pay for the higher labor costs, the chief negotiator for the hospitals said yesterday. As tens of thousands of celebrating union workers returned to their jobs unaware of the hospitals' new stance, the negotiator, William Abelow, asserted: ''The 5 percent wage increase and other provisions of the agreement will not be implemented until a complete contract is in place and a number of outstanding issues are resolved.'' Mr. Abelow, who is president of the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes, the bargaining group for the hospitals, said in a statement: '' The league has never sought and does not now seek additional funds from the state. The league seeks only assurances that the dollars that the state said would be available will in fact be available.''

ADOPTION is a concept that seems to bring out the best in people. At least that is the experience of park commissions and preservation and conservation societies, and they are applying the principle of adoption to everything from neighborhood parks to the restoration of Revolutionary War uniforms. In addition to Adopt-a-Park programs in New York, Memphis and Berkeley, Calif., the Los Angeles Conservancy is calling its program of watching historic houses Adopt- a-Building. In Baltimore the label Adopt-a-Lot applies to vacant city-owned property that neighborhood associations can take over for community gardens. In Tennessee it is possible to adopt parks, schools and even old bridges. Adoption, in this special sense, includes taking on the task of preservation and maintenance, but not the legal responsibilities and liabilities that adopting a person entails. Questions involving liability on both sides of these less formal ''adoptions''have yet to be answered. Robert MacKay, director of the Society for Preservation of Long Island Antiquities, commented: ''It's really just a new twist on volunteerism. Adoption programs strike the personal note and people respond to the challenge of significant responsibility.''

Walter F. Mondale has decided to make a major campaign issue out of President Reagan's comments that religious and political ideas are linked. Mr. Mondale made it clear today that he was planning a major statement on the subject soon. Although Mr. Mondale has been slow to respond to Mr. Reagan's statements last week in Dallas, where the Republican National Convention was being held, aides to the Democratic Presidential nominee say he is set to tackle the issue in a speech now under preparation. At that time, Mr. Reagan said that politics and religion were inseparable and that those who argued otherwise were ''intolerant of religion.'' Beyond this, aides say, Mr. Mondale is persuaded that, in responding to Mr. Reagan, he would be raising the stakes in the election by opening an unusual debate on issues relating to religion and politics such as organized school prayer, censorship and abortion.