Montanans Show Support for Strong Mercury Protections

(Billings) – Montana conservation groups have collected over 1,000 Mercury and Air Toxins Standards (MATS) comment postcards that will be delivered to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson when the comment period on the proposed rules closes tomorrow.

“Montanans from all over the state and all walks of life have signed these postcards because they want their voice heard, and they want to stand up for the health and wellbeing of their children and families,” said Theresa Keaveny, Executive Director of Montana Conservation Voters.  “Mercury and other toxins from power plants are tied to diseases like cancer, heart disease, brain damage, birth defects and more.  It’s time to clean up our power plants and protect our families.”

The cards, collected over the past 3 months by volunteers with Montana Conservation Voters, Montana Audubon, National Wildlife Federation and the Sierra Club, will be delivered to the EPA as individual comments on the proposed Mercury and Air Toxins Standards for Power Plants, Docket ID number EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0234.  The proposed rule would cut mercury emissions from power plants nationwide by 91 percent and reduce arsenic and acid gasses by 91 percent.  It is estimated that doing this would prevent over 12,000 trips to the hospital and save up to 17,000 lives each year one fully implemented. 

In addition, Montana has over 1,200 miles of mercury impaired streams and 400,000 acres of mercury impaired lakes, impacting large predator fish like walleye, lake trout and pike as well as wildlife species such as loons and otters.  The proposed rules would help reduce the amount of toxicity in these areas and protect Montana waters from further contamination.

The cards read:

Dear EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson,

Our families should be able to breathe clean air and drink clean water – without worrying about mercury in their bloodstream, soot and smog in their lungs, and lead in their water.  Yet coal-fired power plants spew hundreds of thousands of dangerous pollutants like these into our air and water every year.

Your proposed Mercury and Air Toxins Rule will protect the public from toxic air pollution and save thousands of lives. I urge you to stand strong and cut mercury pollution and acid gasses by more than 90 percent in the final rule.

Montana power plants have already installed significant mercury control technologies to comply with state statutes.  Those upgrades led to a significant increase in jobs during construction.

More information on the proposed rule can be found on the EPA website or by clicking here.