June 10, 2003

Press Conference Concerning The Release Of "Fishing For Trouble"

Michael Fiorentino:

Good morning, I am Michael Fiorentino, the Air Program Manager for Clean Air Council, a non-profit environmental organization protecting everyone's right to breathe clean air. On behalf of nearly 8,000 members, I am here to tell President Bush that Pennsylvania can't afford his air pollution plan. This so-called "Clear Skies" wipes out a long awaited Mercury reduction rule for power plants. Because of the power industry's heavy influence, electric generating plants are the only remaining major unregulated source of mercury. And this Administration is attempting the unthinkable-giving Power Plants a huge delay and a relaxation of Mercury requirements under the Clean Air Act.

Here in Pennsylvania, we know about power plant pollution. It ensures that we suffer with some of the worst air quality in the Nation. But PA is truly hard hit by Mercury emissions--the Commonwealth is #2 for air emissions from power plants, trailing only Texas. Even more troubling is that Mercury emissions are on the rise. "Fishing for Trouble" reports PA totals for 1999 were just shy of 5 tons of this dangerous neurotoxin. To make matters worse, Clean Air Council has found that mercury emissions in PA rose by more than 300 pounds from 1999 to 2000.

To provide perspective, keep in mind that only a gram, 1/70 of a teaspoon, is all it takes to contaminate a 25-acre lake so as to make the fish unfit for consumption.

So Mercury emissions are on the rise in Pennsylvania. Why? Primarily, it appears because power plants are running harder. Still, most of the big, dirty plants in PA are only running between 1/2 and 2/3 of the time. When they run more, they burn more coal, and create greater pollution. So, at a time when our state government has issued dozens of mercury fish consumption advisories, old, coal-fired power plants are doing whatever they can to produce more power, while we are left with the poisonous consequences.

President Bush has already rolled back the New Source Review program which required plant upgrades and life-extension projects to meet modern pollution controls. That change will allow a great deal more pollution from old dirty coal plants, once released from longstanding duties to improve pollution controls.

But with the Clean Air Act re-write "Clear Skies" (Senate Bill 485 and House Resolution 999), he simply eliminates key rules like the one for Mercury, and instead replaces them with a scheme that allows trading of Mercury emissions. It is all too possible that some communities in PA will have to suffer with unabated Mercury emissions, still settling on their lakes, rivers and streams decades from now.

Pennsylvania needs pollution relief, not air quality rollbacks. Tell your Senators and Congressmen to oppose Senator Inhofe's and Representative Tauzin's bills.