Statement of Senator
Patrick Leahy at the Introduction of the
"Omnibus
Mercury Emissions Reduction Act of 2003"
February 27, 2003
Mr.
President, the risks and health effects of mercury contamination continue
to be serious and immediate. We have known about mercury pollution for
many years. It remains one of, if not the last of, the major toxic
pollutants without a comprehensive plan to control its spread. We know
where the sources contributing to mercury contamination are, we have a
pretty good idea where it goes, and we definitely know what harm it causes
to people and to wildlife. Yet, serious contamination continues. That is
why I am reintroducing important legislation today to confront this
problem directly.
The
most serious threat of mercury pollution is to our children. Just this
week, the Environmental Protection Agency finally released their report,
“American’s Children and the Environment: Measures of Contaminants, Body
Burdens and Illnesses.” The report should alarm all of us. It highlights
the neurological harm that can come to children exposed to elevated
mercury levels while in the womb and during the first few years of their
lives. As more mercury is dumped into our environment, more children will
be at risk. Today, according to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 12
women of childbearing age has mercury levels above the safe health
threshold established by EPA.
Although the report comes nine months late, it does highlight a serious
gap between the Administration’s “Clear Skies” proposal and the Leahy/Snowe
bill when it comes to reducing mercury levels. The only thing clear about
the Administration’s proposal is that it won’t protect Vermont’s children
from the pollution spewing out of power plants in the Midwest. The
Administration’s Clear Skies proposal will actually relax current mercury
emissions law.
Our
bill will reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants by 90
percent. The Clear Skies proposal would only reduce emissions by 50
percent in the near future and 70 percent over the next 15 years. Not
only does this fall far short of our proposal, but it also falls short of
current law and the Administration’s previous position. In 2001, EPA
Administrator Christie Todd Whitman said the EPA had initiated strict
“maximum achievable control technology” (MACT) standards for oil- and
coal-fired electric utility units as required under section 112 of the
Clean Air Act. At that time, Whitman said that mercury reductions are
“necessary now, not decades from now.”
Administrator Whitman was right then and wrong
now. With industry=s
vigorous opposition to tighter mercury controls and the Bush
administration=s
record to date rolling back environmental legislation regulation,
especially the Clean Air Act, I worry that more children will be put at
risk as the Administration continues to delay the MACT standards and other
policies. The delays and rollbacks make you
ask whose interests the Administration is putting first – children, or the
big powerplant companies?
Mr. President, I ask for unanimous
consent that my statement and summary of the bill be included in the
Record.
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