CAMPAIGNS
Mercury
Pollution
 All
people, but especially women and children, are advised
to significantly limit their consumption of fish,
like tuna, swordfish, and shark, because of mercury
contamination (Click
here for CCE's Seafood Guide - PDF format).
Mercury (Hg) is a bioaccumulative persistent toxic
heavy metal classified as a Hazardous Air Pollutant
under the Clean Air Act. Mercury pollution can adversely
impact reproductive, behavioral, developmental,
neurological, and physiological functions of fish,
wildlife, and humans.
What
is the source of mercury pollution?
Mercury, like many of Earth’s elements, cycles
through the natural environment. However, mercury in
the environment is believed to have tripled as a result
of human activities, such as mining, smelting, burning
coal, or disposing of mercury-containing products. Mercury
is deposited locally, regionally, and globally, largely
from unregulated coal-fired power plant emissions. The
federal and state governments acted almost a decade
ago to reduce mercury emissions from medical and waste
incinerators, however mercury controls for coal fired
power plants—the source of about 40% of mercury
emissions—has been delayed.
The Common Loon (Gavia immer) illustrates the hazards of elevated mercury levels on long-term species survival. Affecting their nervous system; high mercury blood levels cause lethargy and behavioral abnormalities that make loons less successful at rearing young.
Source: Center for Biological Diversity. Photo Credit USFWS
As
larger fish eat contaminated smaller fish, mercury toxicity
compounds up the food chain. Consuming mercury-tainted
fish is the primary route of exposure for fish-eating
fish, birds, and mammals including mink, otter and humans.
High levels of mercury are found in fish-eating wildlife
and recently elevated mercury levels have been documented
in forest dwelling songbirds, including Bicknell’s
Thrush (Catharus bicknelli).
Mercury Pollution in New York and Connecticut
New York and Connecticut recognize the dangers posed by mercury and joined a coalition of states to file suit against the Federal Government’s ill-conceived proposal to allow coal plants to trade mercury pollution from one plant to another (click here for more info). CCE supports reducing mercury contamination as swiftly as possible to:
- Protect women and children’s health. A pregnant woman passes the toxin on to her fetus or infant, which in turn can impair her baby’s ability to walk, talk, and learn. Children and infants are more susceptible to mercury contamination because their bodies are smaller and still developing.
- Prevent the continued poisoning of our food supply. Consuming fish is an inexpensive and nutritious component to any diet, unless those fish are contaminated. Nearly all shellfish and finfish contain mercury, demonstrating how widespread mercury contamination is throughout the environment Furthermore, methyl mercury, the particularly toxic form of mercury, accumulates in the tissue of large predator fish, like tuna, swordfish, and shark. Children eat more tuna fish than other species of fish!
New York State and Connecticut Departments of Health have issued fish advisories warning women and children to either eliminate or significantly limit their consumption of fish due to unsafe mercury levels. For specific warnings please visit:
Connecticut: click here
New York: click here
Background
on Federal Mercury Regulation
 The
EPA was court ordered to design and implement regulations
to control mercury emissions from coal and oil fired
power plants. The EPA’s proposed strategy
includes a “cap and trade” proposal.
This proposal will:
Allow
power plants to trade mercury from one community to
another for profit. The EPA market based “cap
and trade” programs for air pollutants like sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides (precursors to acid rain
and smog) have been effective because these pollutants
do not persist in the environment, contaminate our food
supply nor cause birth defects. However, “trading”
classified Hazardous Air Pollutants is an irresponsible
method to address toxic air emissions.
Increase
low-income families’ risk for mercury contamination.
Studies show that subsistence fishermen are the last
to heed the warnings concerning fish consumption. Low-income
families utilizing weekly fish catches to supplement
their food source can ill afford to cease their activities.
As a result, families do not stop eating contaminated
fish, which in turn leads many low-income communities
to have increased exposure to mercury contamination.
Significantly
impact communities that live closest to the power plants.
EPA has found that atmospheric mercury pollution that
has reacted and combined with other pollutants tends
to deposit locally or regionally—contributing
to mercury “hot spots” According to the
same EPA data, in-state sources contribute more than
50 % of the mercury pollution to sites in the top eight
worst hot spot states.
Ignore
the true costs of mercury contamination. Taxed
at all levels of government, the public pays for the
consequences of mercury contamination. EPA’s cost
benefit analysis fails to incorporate the costs of mercury
emissions on public health, environmental degradation,
and public education systems, as well as, recreational,
sport and commercial fishing industries and state and
local governments.
The
EPA should take every reasonable step to protect our
health and our children’s health from the devastating
effects caused by mercury. The proposed cap and trade
plan does not do this; instead it increases public health
concerns. Citizens Campaign for the Environment opposes
this plan and is actively working for a plan that
would reduce mercury contamination throughout
the US.
Under
the EPA’s proposal, 75% of mercury from power
plant emissions would be reduced in 24 years. However,
current affordable technology removes 90% of mercury
and could be implemented in under 7 years!
The
comment period ended on April 30, 2004. There was an
overwhelming amount of support AGAINST the EPA’s
plan for a cap and trade mercury emissions program.
There were a total of 540,000 comments submitted to
the EPA. The EPA has never received this many comments
on any other proposed plan.
The
EPA issued its mercury rule on March 15, 2005. This
rule retained the unpopular “cap and trade”
provisions, as well as, the extended timeframe to require
mercury emissions reductions from the power plant sector.
CCE continues to work for a better plan to control mercury
emissions throughout the US.
Click
here to read CCE's comments on the Northeast Regional Mercury TMDL, May
21, 2007 (PDF format)
Click
here to read CCE's comments on the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement for the Jamestown Coal Project, December
7, 2006 (PDF format)
Click
here to read CCE's comments on the New York State Proposed
Part 246 Mercury Reduction Program, October 20, 2006
(PDF format)
Click
here to read the CCE press statement from October 10,
2006 about New York State mercury regulations (PDF format)
Click
here to read the CCE press release from October 10,
2006 about New York State mercury regulations
Click
here to read CCE's comments on the New York State Proposed
Part 246 Mercury Reduction Program (PDF format)
Click
here to view comments submitted by CCE to EPA on the
Proposed Cap and Trade Mercury Reduction Implementation
Method, April 2004
In
addition to Mercury exposure due to power plant emissions,
there are many sources of mercury exposure to which
children are especially susceptible. Since 2003, CCE
has been a part of The Partnership to Reduce Mercury
in Schools, a program of New York State Department of
Health.
Parents,
Educators and School District Employees: Click
Here to learn more about these risks and how to minimize
them for your children and students
Updated by dglance 4/28/08
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