ADIRONDACK COUNCIL
LAUDS PATAKI ADMINISTRATION MERCURY
RULE FOR COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS IN NEW YORK
Coal-Fired Power Plants are the Largest Source of Mercury
Deposits in Adirondack Waters, Poisoning the Park's Residents,
Fish and Fish-Eating Wildlife
For more information:
John F. Sheehan
518-432-1770 (ofc)
518-441-1340 (cell)
518-456-4512 (home)
Released: Thursday, May 25, 2006
BROADALBIN, N.Y. - The Adirondack
Council today stood beside NYS Environmental Conservation Commissioner
Denise Sheehan at the state boat launch here and thanked her
for announcing a new set of regulations that will be imposed
on coal-fired power plants to check the spread of mercury contamination
in the state's waters and wildlife.
"Coal-fired power plants are the number one source of toxic
mercury falling on the Adirondack Park," said Adirondack
Council Executive Director Brian L. Houseal. "These regulations
will require deep cuts in mercury smokestack pollution from the
massive, coal-fired plants in western New York and the Southern
Tier. We urge other states to adopt regulations at least as good
as what Commissioner Sheehan proposed today."
The new rules would require a 50-percent cut in mercury pollution
(based on 2006 levels) by 2010. By 2015, the rules require a
90-percent reduction below current levels. Companies will be
required to use a Maximum Achievable Control Technology standard.
That means power plant owners must employ all known practical
methods for reducing mercury pollution at their plants, not just
the cheapest or most expedient methods.
"Most important of all, the rule will not allow the trading
of mercury pollution allowances at all," Houseal said. "They
can't trade credits within New York or with companies in other
states. Everyone needs to make a 90 percent reduction and must
do so on schedule."
Houseal noted that trading of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide
credits is an effective way to reduce the cost and speed the
rate of reductions. But neither of those acid-rain-causing pollutants
is toxic enough to poison wildlife or food supplies via slight
increases or delayed reductions in one geographic area. However,
organic mercury is so harmful to all life forms that a slight
increase or a delay in making reductions can cause substantial,
lasting damage.
"We urge the two dozen other states currently contemplating
their own mercury statues to adopt this no-trading restriction
as well," Houseal said. "We are pleased to see states
taking independent action on mercury, although a solid federal
plan would be preferable. But the current federal plan would
allow trading of mercury credits between states and requires
cuts of only 70 percent by 2018.
The Adirondack Council's mission is to ensure the ecological
integrity and wild character of the Adirondack Park. Founded
in 1975, the Council is a privately funded not-for-profit organization
with 18,000 members in all 50 United States. The Council carries
out its missions through research, education, advocacy and legal
action.
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