Pa. plans to develop its own stringent mercury regulations

Washington (Platts)--17Aug2005

Pennsylvania's Environmental Quality Board recommended Tuesday that the
state's Environmental Protection Agency move forward with its plans to protect
the state's coal industry and the health of its citizens with its own mercury
regulations.

PADEP received approval from the state EQB to develop state-specific
regulations to control mercury emissions in Pennsylvania. The board voted 16-3
to allow the rulemaking process to move forward.

"The federal mercury rule does not sufficiently protect public health and is a
potentially severe blow to our economy," PADEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty
said. "We need to change course to keep our residents safe and our economy
strong." 

According to PADEP, the Clean Air Mercury Rule that took effect on July 18
places more stringent emissions standards on bituminous coal mined in eastern
states like Pennsylvania, with the most stringent regulations placed on waste
coal. 

"Little or no reductions are required on power generating units using
sub-bituminous coal from the West. Because of the disparities in the emission
standards, owners of coal-fired units that generally burn bituminous coal
could comply with the final mercury emissions standards simply by switching
fuels. This encourages a shift away from Pennsylvania coal, and will result in
a very real and significant economic dislocation for the state's coal
industry," the agency said.

The state has filed lawsuits challenging EPA's final mercury rule for new and
existing coal-fired power plants and the subcategorization of coal types.

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