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For Immediate Release
June 6, 2006
White Chairs Third Hearing
on Reducing Mercury Emissions in Pennsylvania
Harrisburg – The state Senate
Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, chaired by
Sen. Mary Jo White (R-21), today held its third and final
public hearing on how best to craft a state program to
reduce mercury emissions.
Testifying today were Dr. Gail Charnley
of HealthRisk Strategies, who has a Ph.D. in toxicology, and
Dr. Calvin Johnson, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department
of Health and a board-certified pediatrician. Additionally,
the Committee recalled Secretary of Environmental
Protection Kathleen A. McGinty to address discrepancies in
her testimony before the Committee on April 25, 2006, as
well as Eugene Trisko of the United Mine Workers of America
and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and
George Ellis, President of the Pennsylvania Coal
Association.
The Committee has heard testimony at
previous hearings from representatives of U.S. EPA, coal,
business, sportsmen, health and environmental
organizations. Mercury is emitted from coal-fired power
plants, which account for approximately 1% of global mercury
emissions, as well as natural sources such as geysers and
volcanoes. The pathway from mercury to humans is through
eating freshwater and saltwater fish.
In March 2005, the United States became
the first nation in the world to regulate mercury emissions
from coal-fired power plants. States have until November
2006 to indicate to the federal government how they intend
to implement the mercury emission reduction rule. Under
bipartisan legislation (SB 1201) introduced by White and
Senator Raphael J. Musto, Democratic chair of the Senate
Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Pennsylvania
coal-fired power plants will be required to reduce mercury
emissions by 86 percent no later than 2018, and could
utilize a cap and trade program. This approach provides
incentives for power plants to comply earlier and achieve
greater emission reductions. DEP has proposed a regulatory
plan that would prohibit trading as authorized under the
federal Clean Air Act.
Senator White said the hearings have
highlighted several concerns with the DEP plan:
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The DEP plan will provide no added
environmental or health benefits to PA residents
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It will lead to higher energy costs,
affecting not only manufacturers and other large energy
users, but residential customers, who are facing the
expiration of rate caps in the coming years (most in 2010)
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It does not protect Pennsylvania
bituminous coal jobs
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According to the United Mine Workers
of America, the DEP plan may be unconstitutional with its
intended preference for bituminous coal
"We know that mercury reductions from
power plants will occur in Pennsylvania; in fact, they are
already down 33% from 1999. We also know that under the
federal Clean Air Interstate Rule, over 90% of our
generating capacity will have advanced pollution controls in
place by 2015," said White. "The argument that we will not
see significant reductions under Senate Bill 1201 is over.
This is about providing flexibility to some of our smaller
generating plants, while providing incentives to our larger
plants to over-comply, and reduce mercury emissions in a
cost-effective way that protects the public health. We
cannot afford to lose any of our generating capacity,
especially given the lack of any commensurate health benefit
under DEP's plan."
"Make no mistake – every member of this
Committee is supportive of reducing mercury emissions. But
we must be smart about it," said White.
*Video of today's (June 6, 2006)
hearing, along with written testimony and information from
prior hearings, will be available online by visiting
www.senatormjwhite.com and clicking on
"Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee."
Contact:
Patrick Henderson
(717)
787-9684
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