EPA to reconsider Mercury Emissions Rule

Air pollution: EPA has granted requests that it reconsider a rule to establish an emissions trading program to control mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants.

However, the agency indicated it is unlikely to make any significant changes. "We will of course consider objectively all information generated during the reconsideration process; however, our preliminary review of the petitions has not persuaded us that our final decisions were erroneous or inappropriate," said Jeffrey Holmstead, assistant EPA administrator for air and radiation in a letter to New Jersey Attorney General Peter Harvey and others.

EPA issued the Clean Air Mercury Rule in May and said it would result in a 50 percent reduction in mercury emissions from power plants by 2020, and when fully implemented after 2020 would reduce emissions by 69 percent.

You can learn more about Mercury emissions at the 9th Annual Electric Utilities Environmental Conference (EUEC) held on Jan 22-25, 2006 in Tucson, AZ.

by
Margery Moore
MMoore3@bna.com 
BNA Inc. Daily Environment Report (162 DEN A-2,8/23/05).