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One Step Closer to Cleaner Air
Minnesota recently won a major public health victory, thanks to the Obama administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. They finalized the first-ever nationwide standard for mercury and air toxic pollution from power plants
Power plants are the largest single source of mercury pollution in the U.S., and exposure to mercury and other air toxins is linked to cancer, heart disease, neurological damage, birth defects, asthma attacks and premature death.
Minnesota power plants emitted 876 pounds of mercury pollution into our air in 2010, according to “America’s Biggest Mercury Polluters,” a recently released Environment Minnesota report.
Right now, mercury pollution is so widespread that one in ten American women of childbearing age has enough mercury in her blood to put her baby at risk, should she become pregnant. By limiting emissions of mercury and air toxins from power plants, the Obama administration’s new standard is expected to prevent 130,000 cases of childhood asthma symptoms and save 11,000 lives every year.
For decades, the coal industry, many utilities and their allies in Congress and past administrations have successfully delayed cutting mercury and other toxic air pollutants from power plants to protect public health, even though technology to control toxic air pollution is widely available, and already being used by some power plants.
The new life-saving standard has widespread public support. Over 900,000 Americans submitted comments on the standard, which is the most comments ever received for an EPA rule. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of comments were in support of the standard.
It’s abundantly clear that people in Minnesota and across the country want cleaner air, healthier kids, and less toxic pollution spewed into our air, and thankfully, President Obama and EPA are taking action. This landmark standard will improve Minnesotans’ quality of life and protect children today and for generations to come from known poisons.
Michelle Hesterberg is a Federal Field Associat with Environment Minnesota, a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization. Its professional staff combines independent research, practical ideas and tough-minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful special interests to protect Minnesota’s environment.
Posted in Health Care | Related Topics: Environment Children's Health Public Health
2 Comments
Dean says:
December 29, 2011 at 2:09 pm
While of course this is good news, there is little to celebrate about the EPA clamping down on toxic pollution from power plants - this should have happened decades ago. Sadly, the technology for reducing most toxin emissions has been available for years but the EPA could never find the political support to make it happen. Their recent involvement in the CO2 emissions debate hasn’t helped matters any either. The EPA doesn’t have the political capital to do a good job of regulating both toxins and CO2.