Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can affect the brain, heart, and immune system. Children and developing fetuses are especially at risk. Even low-level exposure can cause learning disabilities, developmental delays, and other problems, and EPA scientists estimate that one in six women has enough mercury in her body to put her child at risk should she become pregnant.
Notwithstanding these risks, the Bush administration recently finalized two rules that do too little, too late to reduce mercury pollution from power plants, the largest manmade source of mercury emissions in the U.S. The first rule (the "delisting rule") takes power plants off the list of sources subject to strict controls for their emissions of mercury and other toxic air pollutants, paving the way for the second rule, an industry-favored “cap-and-trade” plan that delays even modest mercury reductions until 2018 and lets power plants buy and trade the right to pollute. Such a trading scheme increases the risk of mercury “hot spots” around plants that choose to buy mercury credits rather than reduce their pollution.
In issuing these rules, the Bush administration ignored the law, which requires power plants to reduce their mercury emissions by the maximum achievable extent, about 90% by 2008. The administration also ignored the science on mercury, widespread public opposition, and highly critical reports by three separate government bodies, including EPA’s own children’s health committee, foisting what amounts to a “do-nothing” approach on the public for years to come even though proven, cost-effective control technology is already available. And it did so even though recent studies by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and the EPA's own water office have all shown tremendous benefits from reducing mercury pollution from power plants.
To date, 15 states and a variety of other groups, including environmental and public health advocates, Indian tribes, and the City of Baltimore, have challenged the administration’s mercury rules in court or petitioned the EPA for reconsideration of the delisting rule. In addition, on June 29, Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a bipartisan resolution to disapprove the delisting rule. If enacted, the resolution would nullify the rule, sending EPA back to the drawing board to craft a rule that complies with the law and protects public health.
Please take a moment to urge your senator to protect Americans from mercury pollution by voting for the Leahy-Collins resolution. Then ask your family and friends to help by forwarding this email to them.
