Mercury Pollution in Minnesota

[Eric J in MN]

Mercury is dangerous to the human brain, especially for fetuses, babies, and children.

The EPA of the Bush Administration will allow coal-burning power plants to use...

...a "cap-and-trade" program in which they...choose between reducing (mercury) emissions or paying to pollute, whichever (is) cheaper. Overall emissions would be reduced over time, but at a much more leisurely pace.

..."Hot spots" of heavy local deposition would continue.

The above is from a Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial of March 24, "Mercury pollution: EPA suppresses dissenting study."

A letter in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune specifically discusses the mercury pollution from coal-burning power plants in Minnesota.

Getting rid of mercury
Three cheers to the Star Tribune for a great editorial on mercury pollution (March 24). This is an issue we need to take seriously in Minnesota -- 100 percent of our lakes are under a fish consumption advisory because of mercury contamination.

Rep. Ray Cox, R-Northfield, and Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, are introducing legislation that would require coal-burning power plants to cut mercury emissions by 90 percent. This is a big step toward getting rid of mercury in Minnesota. Other legislators need to jump on the mercury-free bandwagon, and fast. We obviously can't rely on the Environmental Protection Agency to fix the mercury problem for us.

Aaron Leonard, Minneapolis.

More at:
http://www.moveleft.com/moveleft_essay_2005_03_28_mercury_pollution_in_minnesota_and_the_rest_of_the_country.asp

[loveable liberal]

1. tell conservatives to 'settle down' and "take a deep breath"....

Then hand them a walleye platter.

[mzmolly]

2. My cousin in Oakdale was recently notified her water is basically poisoned

due to compounds from 3M leaching into the water. (Not mercury related)

Coincidentally, she had two previously healthy/fairly young cats recently die of cancer.