From Deseret News archives:

Environmentalists target Utah mercury emissions

Published: Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005 8:46 p.m. MST
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The groups want to "educate recreational fishermen," Salt added. "A lot of people catch and release, but a lot of people are supplementing their diet with fish caught from our watershed."

Besides recreational fishing, he said, "we also have ethnic populations in the Wasatch Front area that have been supplementing their diet from fish from the watershed for many years."

Tim Wagner, conservation coordinator for the Sierra Club's Utah chapter, denounced the Environmental Protection Agency and the Bush administration for what the groups believe is collusion with the power industry to weaken and delay new regulations on mercury controls in power plants.

He said a federal government inspector general's report severely criticizes the EPA leadership on the matter.

It's estimated that one of every six women of child-bearing age has enough mercury in her blood to put a fetus at risk, he said. While mercury emissions are regulated at waste incinerators and lead smelters, they are not regulated in coal-fired power plants, Wagner said.

A proposed rule developed by EPA would have been based on the most modern control technology, he said. This maximum achievable control technology would have reduced the amount of emissions from 48 tons a year down to the level of 15 to 20 tons or so, he said.

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However, Wagner said, "the Bush administration, through its allies in industry, rewrote this proposed rule to raise the so-called floor" so that the maximum emissions would be 36 tons maximum.

Jim Kennon of the group Sevier County Citizens for Clean Air and Water denounced plans to build a 270-megawatt coal-burning power plant near Sigurd, Sevier County.

Maps distributed at the press conference, Kennon said, "will show you how close the homes are to the proposed (power plant) site."


E-mail: bau@desnews.com

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