|
April 30, 2004
CONTACT: Arthur Stamoulis
(215) 567-4004 ext. 222
LOCAL CITIZENS CALL
ON EPA TO ISSUE STRONG MERCURY PROTECTIONS
Over 3,250 Households in Southeastern PA Submit Comments
to EPA Urging a Reduction in Toxic Power Plant Emissions
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Clean Air Council submitted
comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
today from over 3,250 southeastern Pennsylvania residents
urging the federal government to take prompt action to reduce
toxic mercury emissions from power plants. EPA will be accepting
public comments on its proposed standards for controlling
mercury pollution from power plants until June 29th.
"It should come as no surprise that
so many Pennsylvanians are speaking out about the need for
strong mercury protections," said Michael Fiorentino,
Air Program Manager for Clean Air Council. "Pennsylvania's
coal-fired power plants emit the third-highest levels of
mercury pollution in the nation. All of the Commonwealth's
rivers and lakes are under fish consumption advisories for
mercury contamination. This is a real environmental health
problem for Pennsylvania, and EPA's current mercury proposal
moves far too slowly to provide a real solution."
Many residents' comments pointed out that
"EPA's own scientists say that one in every six women
of childbearing age has dangerous levels of mercury in her
blood." Others pointed out that "coal-fired power
plants are the largest source of mercury pollution in the
U.S." and that "the technology to clean up these
plants is available and cost-effective." Most urged
EPA "not to delay the relief our children and communities
need from exposure to toxic power plant pollution."
Comments were submitted on behalf of residents
from 3,253 separate households in the five-county region
of southeastern Pennsylvania. The comments were delivered
to EPA by environmentalists in Washington, DC along with
comments from hundreds of thousands of other people from
around the country. Locally, comments were submitted by:
- 512 households in Bucks County
- 368 households in Chester County
- 543 households in Delaware County
- 762 households in Montgomery County
- 1,068 households in Philadelphia County
This included 117
households in Pottstown; 83 in Norristown; 60 in Quakertown;
59 in Lansdale; 55 in Chester; 51 in West Chester;
45 in Coatesville; 43 in Leavittown; 43 in Downingtown;
36 in Upper Darby; 36 in Bensalem; 33 in Phoenixville; 33
in Collegeville; 31 in Perkasie; 28 in Springfield; 28 in
Media; 28 in Hatboro; 28 in Bristol; 27 in Royersford; 27
in Lansdowne; 26 in Oxford; 26 in Doylestown; 25 in Havertown;
and lesser numbers in many other cities and towns in southeastern
Pennsylvania.
Twenty-eight Pennsylvania-based community
groups and environmental organizations joined hundreds of
others throughout the country in also submitting a letter
today to EPA Administrator Michael Leavitt saying that EPA's
proposed mercury reduction standards "fall far short
of what the law requires… [and] fail to protect the
health of our children and our environment."
These comments come on top of those presented
in public hearings held by EPA in Philadelphia on February
25th and 26th, during which the proposed mercury rule was
widely criticized.
"Pennsylvania's children deserve
to be protected from mercury poisoning. The technology needed
to reduce mercury emissions in the U.S. is already available.
EPA needs to make sure mercury-reduction controls are put
in place as quickly and as completely as possible,"
said Fiorentino.
###
|
