PA Environment Digest

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Bipartisan Vote Moves Mercury Emissions Reduction Bill Out of Senate Committee

Legislation that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants by 86 percent from 1999 levels was approved in a 10 to 1 vote by the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week without changes.

“This vote demonstrates the importance committee members have placed on ensuring substantial reductions in mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants,” said Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango) chair of the Committee. “It also demonstrates our commitment to protecting the public’s health -- especially among our most vulnerable citizens and the unborn -- in a manner that protects jobs and minimizes the impact on energy prices, without jeopardizing our generating capacity.”

The measure – Senate Bill 1201 – was introduced by Sen. White and Sen. Ray Musto (D-Luzerne), Democratic Chair of the Committee.

The action comes after three public hearings by the Committee which heard testimony from public health experts, environmental and sportsmen groups, the departments of Health and Environmental Protection, the U.S. EPA, labor, coal and business groups.

Similar legislation-- House Bill 2610-- is pending in the House.

“This bill will require power plant owners to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in advanced clean air controls to reduce mercury emissions, covering 90 percent of the power plants in Pennsylvania, according to DEP” said Edward D. Yankovich, International Vice President, United Mine Workers of America. “Installing these controls means these plants could continue to burn Pennsylvania coal and help protect mine worker jobs.”

“Studies show there is virtually no difference between adopting this legislation and zeroing out all mercury emissions from all power plants in the U.S.,” said Donald Siegel, International Vice President, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. “80 percent of the mercury consumed by Americans comes from ocean and saltwater fish that would not be affected by reducing U.S. utility mercury emissions.”

“We support this common sense legislation because it will not only significantly reduce mercury emissions, but also gives power plants incentives for early reductions of mercury in a cost-effective way that protects jobs and electric customers in Pennsylvania,” said Douglas L. Biden, President, Electric Power Generation Association.

“The risk of power plants switching to coal mined in other states is very real, because Pennsylvania coal has twice the mercury content of coal from other states,” according to George L. Ellis, President of the Pennsylvania Coal Association. “If this legislation is not adopted, power generators will have no choice but to consider switching to out-of-state coal with a much lower mercury content and our jobs will go with it.”

“Without the incentives to install cost-effective air pollution control equipment contained in this legislation, power companies will have no choice but to raise electricity prices on homeowners and businesses,” said Gene Barr, Vice President for Political and Regulatory Affairs for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. “That’s bad news for families and businesses who are already coping with higher energy costs in other areas.”

Power plants in Pennsylvania already have reduced mercury emissions by 33 percent from 1999 to 2004, according to the federal Toxics Release Inventory and yet this significant reduction did not even register on the state’s Mercury Monitoring Network, according to DEP.

This demonstrates clearly that mercury is coming from a variety of sources, not just local power plants, and Senate Bill 1201 is the only proposal that facilitates Pennsylvania’s participation in a national program to reduce mercury emissions.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control also conducted a nationwide study of women of childbearing age, infants and young children and found not a single case where mercury levels approached the level that might cause adverse health effects.

A recent 12-year study of fish consumption by members of the Ojibwe Tribe of the northern Great Lakes region by John Dillinger, a professor of clinical laboratory sciences at the University of Wisconsin, found that the benefits of consuming more fish appear to outweigh the risk of slightly higher mercury levels in the body.

“Mercury is harmful to people in large doses, particularly to a developing fetus,” said Professor Dellinger, but so what dose does mercury begin to cause illness? Dellinger says that is still unknown.

“I look forward to discussing this issue with Gov. Rendell, so that we can finalize the Commonwealth’s plan for a strong, aggressive approach to reducing mercury emissions and protecting the health of every Pennsylvanian,” said Sen. White.

NewsClips: Labor, Business Coalition Applauds Senate Action to Reduce Mercury

PennFuture Dismayed by Senate Committee Mercury Vote

Sen. White Comments on Recent DEP Release on Mercury – MP3 File

Link: Mercury Emissions Update

Session Schedule

The Senate and House return to session on June 19.

On the Hill

· On the Senate, House Agenda

· Senate/House Bills Moving/Introduced

· Senators Unveil Second Phase of Farmers First Agenda

· Bill Creates New Conservation District Fund, Districts Request More Funding

· Groups Representing Sports Men and Women Support Hunting Fee Increase