PITTSBURGH
-- Last year the EPA released new standards regarding mercury
emissions; Standards that many states and environmentalists say are not
tough enough.
The federal plan calls for a 70 percent reduction in mercury emissions by the year 2018.
Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell has proposed a stricter mercury reduction plan for the state.
His
plan would cut mercury emissions faster and by more than the federal
plan calling for a 90 percent mercury reduction by 2015.
This
is something many residents believe is desperately needed since
Pennsylvania has the second largest amount of mercury emissions in the
country. Only Texas has more.
Mercury is a byproduct of burning coal and Pennsylvania has 36 coal fired power plants.
Mercury is a neurotoxin that is especially dangerous to pregnant women and their fetuses. It can cause developmental disorders.
The
EPA also established what is called a "cap and trade" program. This
basically allows dirtier coal-fired power plants to buy "emissions
credits" from cleaner power plants.
For
example, a plant in Pennsylvania that is not meeting the federal
mercury standards could buy "credit" from a plant in another state that
has reduced its emissions below the EPA's targeted level. The "credits"
would allow the Pennsylvania plant to continue to operate even though
its mercury emissions were over federal limits.
This idea troubles Ken Bowman, regional director of the DEP's Southwest operations.
"You
might have emissions being traded with cleaner units in the west being
used to have dirtier units in the east. I think this is a major
concern.” Bowman said.
Bowman
headed up a panel of DEP officials at a public hearing on the state's
proposed rule in Pittsburgh. This was the first of three public
hearings being held across the state on the mercury issue.
Judging
from the turnout, this is a hot button issue cutting across age and
economic lines. Over 50 people packed a conference room at the DEP's
offices on Washington Landing.
The
audience consisted of retired people, college students, mothers with
babies and representatives from a variety of environmental groups.
Three representatives from the coal industry were also in the audience.
Frank
Burke spoke on behalf of the Pennsylvania Coal Association. Burke said
the coal companies think the federal regulations provide adequate
health protection for people in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania
is the fourth largest coal producing state in the country. Burke said
if the state rules go beyond the federal rules it will put the coal
industry at a competitive disadvantage.
Over
half of our electricity in the state is generated form coal, so
anything that has an impact on coal production or coal use for
electricity generation in the state is going to have an impact on rate
payers in the state. It's also going to have an impact on coal
companies and our workers. We employ seven thousand coal miners,” Burke
said.
Residents at the public hearing said health concerns have to come before profit.
Even though the State DEP, Governor and many residents are behind the plan, it could still be derailed by state legislators.
Just last month the State Senate voted to block the Governor's tougher plan and go with the weaker federal standards.
The state House did not vote on the bill before recessing for the summer.
Nathan
Willcox of PennEnvironment said the best scenario would be if the House
doesn't bring issue up for a vote in the new session. That way the
state could move forward with the plan.
“By
not passing this dangerous legislation, our state representatives moved
Pennsylvania one giant step forward in our fight against mercury
pollution," Willcox said.
