The Environmental Quality Board this week voted 17 to 3 to approve a final rule on reducing mercury emissions from power plants that a labor and business coalition says will impose $1.7 billion in extra costs on electric customers and generators for no added environmental or health benefits.

The same day, the results of two studies were released by the national Institute of Medicine and the Harvard School of Public Health and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, that found the health benefits of eating fish regularly outweigh the danger from mercury and other contaminants even for pregnant women and children. (See Washington Post article.)

In the last week, the Department of Environmental Protection rejected a legislative proposal that required the installation of state-recommended mercury emissions control technology on every coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania to reduce emissions by 80 percent by 2010 and 90 percent by 2015; the same deadlines and reductions required by DEP.

The proposal called for any further reductions required to meet a federal mercury emissions cap could be achieved through market-based emissions allowance trading, similar to the allowance pool created by DEP to make these additional reductions.

DEP rejected the proposal saying it was in conflict with its lawsuit against the federal Clean Air Mercury Rule because it allowed a form of emission allowance trading.

Interestingly, DEP staff, in response to a question from an EQB member, said mercury emissions in Pennsylvania would actually increase if DEP was successful in its challenge of the mercury budget in the federal CAMR rule. The DEP lawsuit alleged, among other things, that EPA allocated too few mercury allowances to Pennsylvania.

“We were disappointed DEP rejected this proposal based on the legal position they’re taking in a lawsuit over the federal mercury rule where a decision may be years away, rather than on an analysis of the impact this plan will actually have on Pennsylvania’s environment,” said Douglas Biden, President Electric Power Generation Association.

“The issue is not whether to reduce mercury emissions, but how to do it,” said Douglas L. Biden, President of the Electric Power Generation Association. “The plan we proposed is good for the environment and good for jobs and electric customers. It significantly reduces mercury emissions within Pennsylvania, but in a way that does not threaten electric reliability, jobs or cause significant increases in electricity costs.”

“This alternative was presented by our labor and business coalition because the rule proposed by DEP and considered by the Environmental Quality Board today would impose an additional $1.7 billion in costs on electric generators and electric customers with no increase in environmental or health benefits over our proposal,” said Biden.

The DEP proposal would also reduce the use of Pennsylvania coal by an estimated 14 percent annually, threaten to close smaller power plants needed to meet peak electricity demands and provides no incentives to over-control mercury emissions on larger power plants.

Facts about the impact of the proposed DEP rule were gathered from five public hearings held by the Senate and House Environmental Resources and Energy Committees and in presentations to the DEP’s own Mercury Rule Work Group.

“This is a substantive rule that has undergone exhaustive review,” Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty said. “What is clear is that the public health and environmental benefits that Pennsylvania will achieve by taking effective action to reduce mercury emissions are significant.”

In a statement read to the Board for Wendell Holland, chairman of the Public Utility Commission, Holland said, “I will vote for this regulation, but I am still unsure that the cost of going beyond the federal (mercury) rule will result in increased health benefits, but I hope so.”

“We are also puzzled why DEP is pursuing a proposal that imposes such high costs on electric generators and customers, and at the same time testifying before the Public Utility Commission expressing concern about the high price of electricity when the rate caps come off in 2009/2010,” said Biden. “These inconsistencies are remarkable, especially considering their proposal has no added environmental or health benefits.”

“We will continue to work to enact a mercury reduction plan that does not threaten electric reliability, jobs or cause unnecessary increases in electricity costs to achieve our shared objective of significant reductions in mercury emissions from power plants.”

For more information on reducing mercury emissions from power plants, visit the Mercury Emissions Update webpage.

NewsClips: Benefits of Fish Exceed Risks, Studies Find

Editorial: Touting the Benefits of Fish

State Toughens Rules to Reduce Mercury Output of Power Plants

State Environmental Board OKs Tougher Mercury Emission Limits

State Board OKs Mercury Regulations

Issue Notebook: PA Mercury Emissions Update

Session Schedule

The Senate and House return to session October 23, in the case of the Senate for one day and the House two days (at least at this writing).

The Senate also announced it will be in session on November 20 and 21.

On the Hill

· On the Senate/House Agenda/Bills Introduced

· Senate Hearing on Hazardous Sites Cleanup Financing Hears Few Funding Solutions

· House Members Introduce Package of Energy Bills Based on Committee Hearings

· AAA Supports House Action to Give Pennsylvanians Vehicle Choices

PA Environment Digest Video Blog

· Sen. Wenger Talks About Farm Conservation Needs and REAP Proposal

· Environmental Issues Forum Features Environmental Training Center

Other News

· PUC OKs Penn Power Plan to Lift Rate Caps, 20-33 Percent Increase Results

· Awards Presented by Northeast Environmental Partners, PA Environmental Council

· Westmoreland Banquet Recognizes Award Winners, Locally Produced Foods

· Four PA Companies Receive Waste Minimization Awards From EPA

· DEP Announces Grants to Help Small Businesses Enhance Energy Efficiency

· Water Resources Education Network Seeking Grant Applications

· Floodplain Restoration, Legacy Sediments Workshop Set for October 26

· Environmental Permitting Workshops Set by Professional Engineers

· Cooking Grease to Fuel Buses at Wissahickon Charter School

· DCNR Commits $1.2 Million to Lackawanna Land Protection

· PA CleanWays Hosts Dump Cleanup in Dauphin County November 4

· DEP Names Tom Callaghan New Manager for Pottsville District Mining Office

· Third Young Peregrine Falcon from Rachel Carson Building Dies

Feature

· Ospreys Call Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Home for the Next Few Weeks, By Patrick McShea, Division of Education at Carnegie Museum of Natural History

Go To: PA Environment Digest Calendar Page

10/20/2006