February 3, 2005

Statement of Clean Air Council during Mercury Report Card Press Conference

Toni Flora, Harrisburg Project Manager:

"Good Morning. My name is Toni Flora. I am an attorney with Clean Air Council. The Council is one of Pennsylvania's largest membership-based environmental advocacy organizations. The Council's mission is to protect everyone's right to breathe clean air.

Pennsylvania has a long way to go in dealing with mercury pollution. Nearly every lake, river and stream in the state has a fish consumption advisory warning due to mercury contamination. The size and scope of this problem is huge. Some of the mercury pollution that collects in state waterways is from out-of-state sources, like upwind power plants in Ohio. But much of the problem is home-grown. Old, dirty power plants and consumer products that end up in the waste stream are two local sources that the state needs to address more forcefully.

Many states have decided that they can NO longer wait for the federal government to show leadership on the mercury issue. Pennsylvania needs to be one of those states. Clean Air Council and other public health advocates are fighting hard for better mercury prevention policies at the federal level. But that does not absolve the state of its responsibility to address the many sources of pollution found within its own borders. The state needs to seek out local solutions, and get to work cleaning up our air and our water.

I am happy to say that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has made some very important first steps in this direction. DEP's innovative program to remove mercury switches from old cars and trucks-before they are crushed down and melted-seeks to prevent over 600 pounds of mercury from getting into the air over the next two years. The diverse group of stakeholders that DEP brought together to work on that program has been impressive, and Clean Air Council is proud to be a part of it.

At the same time, there still needs to be legislation on this and other mercury product issues. Pennsylvania needs legislation that requires auto manufacturers to help pay for the removal of mercury switches from old automobiles. For years, the auto industry ignored the problem of mercury in convenience-light switches, even though there were safer alternatives available. The state legislature should force the manufacturers to pick up the costs of cleaning the mess they created.

From auto switch legislation, to legislation that removes mercury from certain batteries, to policies that reduce mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants-there is a lot that Pennsylvania can and must do."