Press Mention The Atlanta Journal-Constitution May 8, 2004
SACE Quoted
Marchers target rule on mercury
In this mention
About 20 people participated in a "Mom's March Against Mercury" organized by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in Atlanta on May 8, 2004, protesting a proposed EPA rule on mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. SACE's regional program director Ulla-Britt Reeves criticized the EPA's proposal for requiring only a 30 percent reduction in mercury pollution in the short term, arguing that technology exists to achieve 90 percent reductions. The group is collecting public comments to submit to the EPA by June 30 opposing the inadequate mercury reduction standards.
The technology is available to clean up power plants by 90 percent of their mercury pollution, and yet EPA in this proposal is only calling for a 30 percent reduction in the short-term, and not until 2018 will we see any more reductions
Ulla Reeves
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Full transcript
Marchers target rule on mercury
Stacy Shelton - Staff
Sunday, May 9, 2004
About 20 people participated in a "Mom's March Against Mercury" in Atlanta on Saturday as part of a national Mother's Day protest in 10 states.
The march, organized by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, an environmental group, started at Centennial Park and ended a few blocks away at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 4 headquarters on Forsyth Street. The group is protesting a proposed EPA rule that requires reductions in mercury from coal-fired power plants, but not at the rate environmental groups demand.
"The technology is available to clean up power plants by 90 percent of their mercury pollution, and yet EPA in this proposal is only calling for a 30 percent reduction in the short-term, and not until 2018 will we see any more reductions," said Ulla-Britt Reeves, the alliance's regional program director.
Pregnant women and children are warned to limit how much and what type of fish they eat because of mercury contamination. When ingested, mercury can cause learning disabilities, memory lapses and developmental delays.
The alliance and other environmental groups are collecting comments to send to the EPA through June 30. The comments are written on the back of paper plates, with a fish drawn on the front.