Unfortunately, the Bush administration's plan to reduce toxic pollution — such as mercury — from power plants does too little, too late to protect our families and our communities. EPA must finalize this plan in March 2005.

The Bush administration plan gives big electric utilities years longer to pollute than the law allows, and lets more mercury stay in the environment, compared to enforcing the current law. The Bush administration proposal would:

• delay affordable reductions in mercury pollution from power plants by a decade, and allow six to seven times more mercury into the nation's air than the Clean Air Act requires;
• allow some plants to avoid cutting mercury pollution by purchasing "pollution credits" from other cleaner plants. The Clean Air Act does not allow this, and it increases the chances that toxic "hotspots" could develop;
• impose only weak reduction targets on mercury pollution from power plants, while ignoring more than 60 other toxic air pollutants, such as lead, dioxin and arsenic, which also pose significant health threats.

We need a stronger mercury rule to protect public health and the environment. Please, take action by asking the President to strengthen the Clean Air Mercury Rule!

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Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

This year, your administration is making a decision that will have an enormous impact on the health of children, mothers, and all Americans. After years of delay, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must finalize a federal regulation to reduce mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants. These facilities are the largest uncontrolled industrial source of mercury, lead, and many other harmful pollutants.

Mercury can impair, damage, and even destroy healthy nerve tissue - much like lead. Exposure to mercury, particularly in the womb, can cause neurological and developmental problems ranging from poor attention span and delayed language development to impaired memory, vision, and fine motor coordination. Furthermore, it can cause permanent learning disabilities and reduced IQ.

Across the country, 45 states and US territories have issued consumption advisories for freshwater and coastal-caught fish, warning people to avoid or limit fish consumption due to mercury pollution. Despite these warnings, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 6 women of childbearing age in the U.S. has unsafe levels of mercury in her blood. EPA estimated that as many as 630,000 children may be born each year with unhealthy levels of mercury in their blood.

Contributing to our nation's mercury problem is the fact that power plants spew unlimited quantities of mercury into our air, which is then washed it into our rivers, lakes and oceans and, ultimately, into the food chain. Meanwhile, other sources must meet strict emission limits.

Current law requires that air toxics from power plants, such as mercury and lead, be controlled from each and every source to the maximum extent possible as soon as possible - and no later than three years after the regulations are finalized. EPA's own analysis shows that under current law, annual emissions should be reduced from 48 tons today to 5 tons by 2008.

I urge you to enforce the law, and require that power plants reduce toxic air pollution as quickly as possible to the greatest extent possible. The health of our children and future generations can not wait any longer. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 14, 2005