June 26

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board has approved a measure to reduce mercury emissions to the environment by 90 percent.

"This rule is a major step forward in improving Wisconsin´s air quality," said DNR Secretary Matt Frank. "It will dramatically reduce mercury deposition into Wisconsin´s lakes, benefiting our fish and wildlife and human health."

The rule will also reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, Frank said.

The rule targets mercury emissions from coal-burning electric utilities. Mercury is released from smokestacks and falls into surface waters where it enters the food chain and concentrates in fish and other wildlife.

Certain population groups are especially vulnerable to mercury exposure, according to health officials. Women of childbearing age, infants and children are at greatest risk from ingesting mercury.

The rule includes a pair of options for meeting the 90-percent reduction requirement.

Under the first option, which targets only mercury, coal-burning power plants have until 2015 to meet the 90-percent reduction target.

Option two, called the "multipollutant option," attacks mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, the three pollutants most responsible for smog, particulate pollution and fish consumption advisories.

Under the multipollutant approach, the largest coal burning utilities would by 2015 achieve both an 85-percent reduction in sulfur dioxide and a 50-percent reduction in nitrogen oxides beyond current regulations. Mercury reduction targets would be a 70-percent reduction by 2015, 80 percent by 2018 and 90 percent by 2021.

In total, the multipollutant option would stop the release to the environment of 2,634 pounds of mercury, 97,000 tons of sulfur dioxide and 66,000 tons of nitrogen oxide compared to 2005 levels.

The rule next moves to the Legislature, where it may pass, or environmental committee chairs may call for additional public hearings or request further changes to the rule requirements.

The full text of the rule is available online at http://dnr.wi.gov/air/toxics/mercury/rule.htm.

Contact Waste News senior reporter Bruce Geiselman at (330) 865-6172 or bgeiselman@crain.com

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