EXHIBIT 31.1

                CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                       AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 302
                       OF THE SARBANES--OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, A. John Leach, Jr., certify that;

     1)   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Covista;

     2)   Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any
          untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
          necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances
          under which statements were made, not misleading with respect to the
          period covered by this quarterly report.

     3)   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
          information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all
          material respects the financial condition, results of operations and
          cash flows of Covista as of, and for, the periods presented in this
          quarterly report.

     4)   Covista's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
          establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures [as
          defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)] for Covista and
          have;

               a)   Designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure
                    that material information relating to Covista, including its
                    consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
                    within those entities, particularly during the period in
                    which this quarterly report is being prepared;

               b)   [Omitted pursuant to the guidance of Release No. 33-8283
                    (June 5, 2003)] and

               c)   Evaluated the effectiveness of Covista's disclosure controls
                    and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions
                    about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
                    procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this
                    report based on such evaluation; and

               d)   Disclosed in this report any change in Covista's internal
                    control over financial reporting that occurred during
                    Covista's most recent fiscal quarter that has materially
                    affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the
                    registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

     5)   Covista's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our
          most recent evaluation, to Covista's auditors and the audit committee
          of Covista's Board of Directors (or persons performing the equivalent
          functions);

               a)   All significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
                    internal controls which could adversely affect Covista's
                    ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial
                    data, and I have identified for Covista's auditors any
                    material weaknesses in internal controls; and

               b)   Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
                    or other employees who have a significant role in Covista's
                    internal controls.


Date: December 10, 2004                By: /s/ A. John Leach, Jr.
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           A. John Leach, Jr.
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer