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For Immediate
Release
6/6/06
CONTACT:
Senate Republican Communications
(717) 787-6725
White Chairs
Third Hearing on Reducing Mercury Emissions in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG -- The
state Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, chaired by Sen. Mary
Jo White (R-21), today held its third and final public hearing on how best to
craft a state program to reduce mercury emissions.
Testifying
today were Dr. Gail Charnley of HealthRisk Strategies, who has a Ph.D. in
toxicology, and Dr. Calvin Johnson, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of
Health and a board-certified pediatrician. Additionally, the Committee recalled
Secretary of Environmental Protection Kathleen A. McGinty to address
discrepancies in her testimony before the Committee on April 25, 2006, as well
as Eugene Trisko of the United Mine Workers of America and the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and George Ellis, President of the
Pennsylvania Coal Association.
The Committee
has heard testimony at previous hearings from representatives of U.S. EPA,
coal, business, sportsmen, health and environmental organizations. Mercury is
emitted from coal-fired power plants, which account for approximately 1% of
global mercury emissions, as well as natural sources such as geysers and
volcanoes. The pathway from mercury to humans is through eating freshwater and
saltwater fish.
In March 2005,
the United States became the first nation in the world to regulate mercury
emissions from coal-fired power plants. States have until November 2006 to
indicate to the federal government how they intend to implement the mercury
emission reduction rule. Under bipartisan legislation (SB 1201) introduced by
White and Senator Raphael J. Musto, Democratic chair of the Senate
Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Pennsylvania coal-fired power
plants will be required to reduce mercury emissions by 86 percent no later than
2018, and could utilize a cap and trade program. This approach provides
incentives for power plants to comply earlier and achieve greater emission
reductions. DEP has proposed a regulatory plan that would prohibit trading as
authorized under the federal Clean Air Act.
Senator White
said the hearings have highlighted several concerns with the DEP plan:
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The DEP plan will provide no added
environmental or health benefits to PA residents;
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It will lead to higher energy costs,
affecting not only manufacturers and other large energy users, but
residential customers, who are facing the expiration of rate caps in the
coming years (most in 2010);
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It does not protect Pennsylvania bituminous
coal jobs;
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According to the United Mine Workers of
America, the DEP plan may be unconstitutional with its intended preference
for bituminous coal.
"We know that
mercury reductions from power plants will occur in Pennsylvania; in fact, they
are already down 33% from 1999. We also know that under the federal Clean Air
Interstate Rule, over 90% of our generating capacity will have advanced
pollution controls in place by 2015," said White. "The argument that we will
not see significant reductions under Senate Bill 1201 is over. This is about
providing flexibility to some of our smaller generating plants, while providing
incentives to our larger plants to over-comply, and reduce mercury emissions in
a cost-effective way that protects the public health. We cannot afford to lose
any of our generating capacity, especially given the lack of any commensurate
health benefit under DEP's plan."
"Make no
mistake -- every member of this Committee is supportive of reducing mercury
emissions. But we must be smart about it," said White.
Environmental Resources & Energy Committee
Chair Mary Jo White (R-21), left, and Sen. Don White (R-41), right,
speak at a June 6 hearing -- the third in a series --
on how
best to craft a state program to reduce mercury emissions.
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