Mercury rules violate Clean Air Act

In this mention

Valerie True, Clean Air Program Coordinator at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, argues in this op-ed that EPA mercury emission rules for power plants violate the Clean Air Act by not requiring sufficient cleanup. She contends that electric utilities are receiving preferential treatment compared to other industries, despite affordable technology existing to reduce mercury emissions, and calls for congressional action and potential court intervention.

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In your March 16 article "Mercury rules won't hit TVA for 5 years" you stated that "environmental groups denounced the rules as too little, too late."

While it is true that environmental and public health organizations find that this rule does not go far enough, the rule is a violation of the Clean Air Act.

Other industries have been required to clean up their mercury emissions to the maximum possible. Why are the electric utilities getting a free pass?

Power plants are the largest and last unregulated source of industrial mercury emissions. Although they make up only 1 percent of global emissions of mercury, they make up 41 percent of mercury emission in the United States.

Americans should be outraged that, despite affordable technology to clean up toxic air pollution from electric utilities and the law mandating cleanup, almost nothing is required of them.

We can still hope that the courts will uphold the law and force cleanup, but Congress can also play a role by rejecting the so-called "clear skies" act.

Parents should read a brochure explaining the dangers of mercury pollution.

It can be found at www.mercuryhurts.org.

VALERIE TRUE
Clean Air Program
Coordinator
Southern Alliance
for Clean Energy
Knoxville