Cleaning up mercury from power plants

Clean Wisconsin led the effort to make Wisconsin the third state in the nation to regulate mercury emissions from coal burning power plants. Clean Wisconsin, other environmental groups and many sport fishing and hunting groups petitioned the Department of Natural Resources in 2007 requesting a 90 percent reduction of mercury emissions from power plants by 2012 to help protect Wisconsin children from the toxic effects of mercury that is accumulating in the fish we eat. Thanks to your actions, Clean Wisconsin presented nearly 1,000 petitions to the DNR on the issue.

After four years of education and negotiation, the DNR and legislature (which has final oversight of agency rules) established a reduction requirement of 75 percent by 2015. The Assembly Natural Resources Committee of the legislature also inserted the requirement of adjusting the reduction schedule to match any federal limits that come out subsequently.

Early in 2005 EPA established a national requirement to reduce power plant mercury emissions by 70 percent by 2018 and by allowing trading between utilities in different states. In other words, rather than reducing their own mercury emissions, Wisconsin utilities could buy credits from a utility in Ohio that had over-complied with the law. This means that Wisconsin lakes might still receive significant mercury from Wisconsin plants and plants at utilities upwind from Wisconsin who buy credits instead of making reductions. Thirteen states filed a lawsuit against EPA claiming the trading system is illegal and the regulations are not protective of children's health. Wisconsin was one of those states that filed the suit.

As a result of the federal law, the DNR began to revise the state regulations in 2006. In January of 2007 Clean Wisconsin again petitioned the DNR with updated information asking for a 90 percent reduction by 2012. The DNR has proposed a revise regulation and held a hearing last spring taking comments on three alternative proposals:

• A 70% reduction by 2018 without the interstate trading (DNR's proposal);
• A 70% reduction by 2018 with the interstate trading (the utility position);
• A 90% reduction by 2012 without the interstate trading (Clean Wisconsin's position).

While there were supporters for all three of the alternatives, the general public overwhelmingly supported the 90% reduction option. Clean Wisconsin and other allies have made a very strong case that the technology is readily available at a very reasonable price to reduce emissions by 90 percent from Wisconsin coal plants. Because there is a direct and linear relationship between the amount of mercury in the environment and our fish and the health impacts to the children and pregnant mothers who eat the fish, we need to reduce those emissions as much as possible.

The Natural Resources board is expected to make a decision on the final rules at their January Board meeting. The rules then go to legislative committees for review and could be delayed up to 120 days. If you would like to get involved in supporting strong mercury regulations there is still time; please contact Becky Weber at (608) 251-7020 extension 17 or beweber@cleanwisconsin.org.

Natural Resources Board Members

Christine L. Thomas, Chair
Stevens Point, WI
(715) 346-4185

Jonathan P. Ela, Vice-Chair
Madison, WI
(608) 238-8187

John W. Welter, Secretary
Eau Claire, WI
(715) 831-9565

David Clausen
Amery, WI
(715) 268-8131

Preston D. Cole
Milwaukee, WI
(414) 286-3671

Gerald M. O'Brien
Stevens Point, WI
(715) 344-0890

Jane Wiley
Wausau, WI
(715) 359-2475