23 States Plan Far Tougher Mercury Control Measures Than Federal Plan - CSM

[hatrack]

Facing a mandate to slash toxic mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, 23 states are thumbing their noses at a federal cleanup plan and are instead developing their own far tougher plans to deal with mercury. But doing so has caused many of them to miss a federal Nov. 17 deadline to submit their plans to the Environmental Protection Agency. Now, the EPA is ratcheting up the pressure. This week, the agency is expected to publish names of more than 20 states that could have the federal plan imposed on them if they don't submit tougher plans by next spring.

What it all adds up to is a major state-led rebellion over mercury emissions that dwarfs, for example, an 11-state push to create regional greenhouse-gas reduction programs without federal support. If successful, the revolt could weaken a key element of the federal mercury rules: an emissions-trading system popular with the utility industry and already in place for air pollutants like nitrogen oxides.

"What we're seeing is a critical mass of states restricting trading in such a way that it really imposes a significant impact on EPA's national trading program," says S. William Becker, executive director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, a Washington trade group representing state and local air-quality agencies. "States are sending a strong message that mercury emissions trading is not, and should not be, a centerpiece of any federal mercury- control program."

EPA officials say they're not worried. "Based on everything we know, we are confident there will be a robust and workable cap-and-trade system, given the number of states we believe are going to participate," says William Wehrum, acting assistant administrator of the EPA's Office of Air and Radiation.

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http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1207/p02s01-uspo.html