Reaction Of Sen. Patrick Leahy
To The Administration’s New Health Advisory On Mercury In Seafood

 [(FRIDAY, March 19) -- The Bush Administration Friday released a new health advisory for mercury in fish and seafood that Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) says does not sufficiently warn women and children of the dangers that mercury-contaminated seafood and fish pose to them.  Leahy recently sent a letter to the FDA urging the agency to publish an advisory consistent with the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommendations for maximum mercury exposure.  Leahy says the FDA’s published advisory does not reach that threshold, but does do more than their earlier advisory in acknowledging the serious risks associated with mercury-contaminated seafood and fish.  In January, the Bush Administration retreated from 10 years of work to create aggressive mercury emissions controls at powerplants and instead set a lower and delayed standard.  Over the last month, the Bush Administration has faced numerous questions about industry ties to the draft regulations and their own internal analysis showing missed reduction targets.  Leahy has pushed FDA for years to improve its fish advisory and has been a leading critic of Bush’s mercury policy.]

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“The Bush Administration has improved what they proposed before, but they still are only making mild gestures to a problem that demands strong action.  The scientific evidence by now is clear and undeniable about the risk of mercury exposure to women and children.  From its consumer advisories, to the EPA’s industry-written plan to reduce mercury emissions, the Bush Administration continues to pander to special interests instead of to follow the solid science on this problem.”

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