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For Immediate Release
October 17, 2006

White Opposes Rendell's Harmful Mercury Regulation

Harrisburg – State Senator Mary Jo White today voted against Governor Rendell's proposed mercury regulation for coal-fired power plants, calling it "extraordinary bad public policy" for the residents of Pennsylvania.

"The Governor's regulation provides absolutely no added public health or environmental benefit to our citizens than we will achieve under Senate Bill 1201," said White.  However, the Governor's plan jeopardizes the Commonwealth's electric reliability, threatens to raise energy bills even higher, and puts family-sustaining jobs at risk."

Senator White introduced Senate Bill 1201, the proposed Clean Air Mercury Compliance Act, in April.  The bill was approved by a 40-10 vote in the Senate on June 20, 2006. 

Senate Bill 1201 requires an 86% reduction in mercury emissions, but unlike the Rendell proposal, permits interstate trading of emission allowances.  Interstate trading is a proven concept which enables generators to meet their obligations in a cost-effective manner.  It also provides significant incentive for generators to reduce mercury emissions deeper and earlier than required by law.

 "Governor Rendell and our own Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are playing politics with a significant public health issue," said White.  White noted her particular disappointment in DEP's relentless and conscientious effort to mislead the public and members of the General Assembly about Senate Bill 1201 as well as its own regulatory proposal.  "The department's conduct has been extremely disappointing," White said.

The Governor's plan was soundly rejected by a bipartisan, 40-10 vote in the Senate.  Instead of trying to negotiate a compromise, it appears the Governor's modus operandi is to again abuse the regulatory process by forcing through his own plan.  "Governor Rendell has substituted environmental politics in place of environmental protection."

The regulation was drafted by DEP and approved by the Environmental Quality Board (EQB).  Senator White chairs the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, and serves as a member of the EQB.  The regulation must now go to the Senate and House Environmental Resources and Energy committees and the Independent Regulatory Review Commission for approval.  The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voiced its objections to the Rendell plan in extensive formal comments, as well as voting 10-1 to endorse Senate Bill 1201.

Senator White chaired three public hearings  on efforts to reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants.  More information on the Committee's hearings is available online at www.SenatorMJWhite.com/environmental.html.  Information on Senate Bill 1201 is also attached.

Contact:

Patrick Henderson
(717) 787-9684

Reducing Mercury Emissions from Coal-Fired Power Plants 

• SB 1201 implements the Clean Air Mercury Rule.  By 2018 power plants are required to reduce mercury emissions by 86% compared to 1999 emission levels. 
• The Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee has held three public hearings on reducing mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants.  Representatives from US EPA, DEP, Department of Health, environmental, business and industry, power generator, sportsmen, public health, coal operator and mine worker organizations have testified.  Testimony and transcripts from the hearings are available online at www.senatormjwhite.com/environmental.html. 
• Mercury deposition comes from local, regional and global sources.  Approximately 1% of mercury emissions come from U.S. coal-fired power plants; about 50% of mercury emissions come from natural sources, such as volcanoes and geysers. 
• The pathway for methylmercury – the specific type of mercury under discussion – into humans is through ingestion of fish.  According to the Department of Health and other public health experts, mercury is a toxicant that can impact the neurological and developmental behaviors of humans, primarily affecting the brain, spinal cord, kidneys and liver if ingested and accumulated in sufficient quantities. 
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control conducted a nationwide study of women of childbearing age, infants, young children and found no evidence that mercury blood levels among the population approached that required to cause adverse health effects. 
• To the extent that mercury exposure could pose an adverse health risk, it is incumbent on policymakers to take reasonable precautions to protect the public health. 
• Testimony indicates DEP's proposed mercury rule is unconstitutional, and will lead to lost jobs, higher energy costs, a potential reduction in the Commonwealth's electric generating capacity and provide no added health benefit above those achieved in SB 1201. 
• Mercury emissions from PA coal-fired power plants have already decreased 33% since 1999, a result of co-benefits from installing multi-pollutant control technology. 
• No connection has been established between purported "hotspots" of mercury deposition and increased health risk to local residents.  Enhanced exposure to mercury "hotspots" requires local bodies of water and a population which eats significant quantities of locally-caught fish – a cause and effect not established by either DEP or public health experts. 
• DEP and EPA data indicates that, by 2015, 90% of the generating capacity in Pennsylvania will have installed advanced pollution control technologies to further reduce mercury emissions, NOx, and SO2. 
• SB 1201 provides flexibility to achieve significant mercury emission reductions in a cost-effective manner that preserves jobs, limits energy cost increases and protects the public's health.