PHILADELPHIA—The Philadelphia City Council became
the first major city in the nation to pass a resolution urging the federal Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to revisit its current mercury proposal. The EPA's current
proposals have been criticized by environmentalists, public health groups, and
sportsman's groups in Pennsylvania as not going nearly far enough in reducing
mercury pollution. The resolution, introduced today by Councilwoman Blondell
Reynolds Brown, represents the first action by a major U.S. city against the
Bush administration's proposed mercury rules. The resolution passed unanimously,
17-0, including the two Republican council members.
"PennEnvironment applauds the Philadelphia City
Council for passing this strong and important resolution," said Nathan
Willcox, Energy and Clean Air Advocate for PennEnvironment. "In doing so,
the Council has recognized the potentially disastrous impact of the Bush administration's
proposed mercury rules, for Philadelphia and for the region as a whole. We are
proud that our City Council members have championed this important issue."
"Since entering City Council in 2000, I have said
time and time again that there is nothing more important than the health and
safety of our young people," said Philadelphia City Councilwoman Blondell
Reynolds Brown. "The EPA has within its power the ability to make a real
difference in the welfare of mothers and their children through the regulation
of mercury emissions. I think it is important that Council lends its voice on
behalf of all Philadelphians to limit these pollutants."
The Philadelphia City Council's resolution comes as the
EPA is taking public comments on their proposed mercury rules. The EPA is required
to issue final rules to curb mercury emissions from power plants by the end
of the year. Much to the disappointment of environmentalists, public health
groups, and sportsman's groups, the EPA's current proposals allow for more mercury
pollution, for nearly a decade longer, than what is achievable and required
by the federal Clean Air Act. In late February, the EPA held public hearings
in Philadelphia on the proposed rules, and the overwhelming majority of those
testifying urged the EPA to drastically reduce mercury pollution beyond what
their current proposals would achieve.
Specifically, the Philadelphia resolution urges the EPA
to reduce mercury emissions by 90 percent by 2008. Mercury is a highly toxic
chemical whose effects on the central nervous system are comparable to those
of lead, and can include severe neurological and developmental problems, such
as impaired memory and vision, problems processing information, and impaired
fine motor coordination. The principle way that people are exposed to mercury
is by eating fish, a staple of the American diet. When pregnant women eat mercury-contaminated
fish, the mercury can pass through the placenta, or infants can then ingest
the mercury from breast milk. As mentioned in the resolution, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and the EPA estimate that 1 out of 6 U.S. women
of childbearing age already have unsafe levels of mercury in their blood. Also
at risk are those who consume large amounts of fish, such as recreational and
subsistence anglers.
As acknowledged in the City Council's resolution, Pennsylvania
already has an advisory covering all Pennsylvania waterways, urging women and
children to avoid or limit eating locally caught fish because of mercury pollution.
Also acknowledged in the resolution is the fact that Pennsylvania's power plants
emit over 7,000 pounds of mercury into the air each year, ranking the state
third in the country for highest mercury emissions. Coal-fired power plants
are the last major unregulated source of mercury pollution.
"Philadelphia has taken the lead on this issue,
recognizing that the EPA's proposed mercury rule falls far short of protecting
the public health and quality of life of Philadelphians," said Willcox.
"PennEnvironment encourages other cities in Pennsylvania and around the
country to follow Philadelphia's lead in challenging the Bush administration's
attempts to weaken our clean air laws."
PennEnvironment is a statewide environmental advocacy organization,
with more than 13,000 members across the state.
