Several environmental and sporting groups are criticizing the Bush administration’s plan to reduce mercury from power plants. They say it protects utilities at the expense of public health and the tourism industry. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill reports:
Transcript
Several environmental and sporting groups are criticizing the Bush administration’s plan
to reduce mercury from power plants. They say it protects utilities at the expense of
public health and the tourism industry. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie
Hemphill reports:
The Bush plan calls for reducing mercury emissions from power plants by allowing
emissions trading – plants could buy and sell vouchers allowing mercury pollution.
Mercury is a concern because children who eat a lot of mercury-contaminated fish are at
risk of nerve damage and learning disabilities. Environmental groups say mercury should
be regulated more strictly, to protect people’s health.
They also say people might not fish as much because of concerns about mercury and they
suggest that might hurt tourism.
The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation’s George Meyer fishes with his teenage daughter.
“We actually reduce the amount of fish we catch and bring home because she and our
other children can’t eat as much fish because of these mercury health advisories.”
But the environmentalists concede they’re making a guess about mercury’s impact on
fishing and tourism. So far, in most states the number of fishing licenses issued has not
changed significantly.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Stephanie Hemphill.
New research shows that chemicals used to repel food, stains, and water are sticking just about everywhere else in the environment. They were recently found in the Great Lakes. But as the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Sarah Hulett reports, their discovery was not a surprise:
Transcript
New research shows that chemicals used to repel food, stains, and water are
sticking just about everywhere else in the environment. They were recently found
in the Great Lakes. But as the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Sarah Hulett
reports, their discovery was not a surprise:
The chemicals are called perfluoronated compounds. They’re used in products
like Teflon, Scotchgard, and Gore-Tex. They’ve been detected in animals from
Arctic polar bears to seals and birds in the Baltic.
Matt Simcik is a researcher at the University of Minnesota. His studies turned up
the chemicals in lake trout from all five Great Lakes. Simcik says a likely source
for the contaminants is wastewater treatment plants.
“Because these chemicals are used in everyday use – textiles and carpets and
things. And when you wash your clothes, or wash your carpet, that water gets
into the waste system, and eventually ends up in the lake.”
The effects of the chemicals on humans is the subject of intense debate – but at
high exposures they’ve been linked to problems including birth defects and
cancer .
One of the two known chemicals has been phased out of use. Federal regulators
are looking at the other to determine whether it should be restricted as well.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Sarah Hulett.
A new report says the nation’s beaches were closed a record number of times last year because of high bacteria levels in the water. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Rebecca Williams reports:
Transcript
A new report says the nation’s beaches were closed a record number
of times last year because of high bacteria levels in the water. The
Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Rebecca Williams reports:
The Natural Resources Defense Council releases a beach report every
year. It’s based on data from the previous summer. The NRDC says,
last season, there were more than 18,000 closings or advisories –
that’s more than any summer in the past 14 years.
Nancy Stoner is with the NRDC. She says health officials are doing a
better job of testing beaches and that has lead to more beach closings.
Stoner says it’s good that more beaches are being tested… but she
says most communities are failing to control pollution sources.
“We know where the problem comes from and that’s contaminated
storm water and sewage. One of the big problems this year is that the
Clean Water State Revolving Fund has been slashed in the White
House budget. And Congress has not restored that funding.”
Stoner calls the funding critical for cities to repair aging sewer and
storm water systems. The NRDC is calling on Congress to restore the
cuts to the fund in the fall.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Rebecca Williams.
The Environmental Protection Agency will soon make a decision about how quickly power plants must reduce mercury emissions. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Celeste Headlee reports:
Transcript
The Environmental Protection Agency will soon make a decision about how quickly power plants must reduce mercury emissions. The Great Lake Radio Consortium’s Celeste Headlee reports:
Mercury poisoning is related to numerous chronic ailments, including severe kidney damage. In January of this year, the Bush administration issued a proposal to lower mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants by 54% within 14 years.
Kate Madigan with the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan says Bush’s proposal is not strong enough.
“The current mercury proposal would allow 6-7 times more mercury into the nation’s air and for at least a decade longer than the Clean Air Act would allow if faithfully implemented.”
The public comment period on the proposed regulation ended on June 28th. The EPA says more than 600,000 Americans sent in letters over the past six months. That’s nearly three times as many comments as the agency has received on any other issue. New mercury emissions regulations will be issued by December of this year.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Celeste Headlee.
Budget cuts continue to plague states across the country. In Michigan, these cuts led to the elimination of the state’s fish advisory program. It’s the first state in the region to drop its program. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ashley McGovern has more:
Transcript
Budget cuts continue to plague states across the country. In Michigan, these cuts led to
the elimination of the state’s fish advisory program. It’s the first state in the region to
drop its program. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ashley McGovern has more:
Two years ago, Michigan’s legislature cut funding for the state’s fish advisory program.
Since then, Michigan’s Department of Community Health has been struggling to pay for
the advisories. Now, department officials say they can no longer afford to keep the
program going.
T.J. Bucholz is a spokesman for Michigan’s Department of Community Health. He says
the advisories inform an important segment of the population:
“The message is targeted these days at women that are pregnant. Letting them know that ingestion
of too much fish that is contaminated with mercury or PCBs or PBBs can have an
adverse affect on their pregnancy.”
Two years ago, officials from Ohio’s Department of Health threatened to end their fish
advisory program because of budget cuts. But they later found funds from other state
departments. Bucholz says his department will try to do the same.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Ashley McGovern.
For years, NASA satellites and computer models have helped scientists measure algae levels in oceans. Now, a new study is showing which models will work in the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Bill Cohen has more:
Transcript
For years, NASA satellites and computer models have helped scientists
measure algae levels in oceans. Now, a new study is showing which models
will work in the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Bill
Cohen has more:
Researchers at Ohio State University have compared actual algae levels in
Lake Erie with images gathered by satellite… and they’ve concluded several are 99%
accurate.
Carolyn Merry is an engineering professor and the lead researcher. She says
finding the most accurate way to measure algae growth can help improve the
health of everyone who relies on the Great Lakes for drinking water. She
says one type of algae – Microcystis – needs to be kept out of the water
supply.
“It’s toxic to humans. And along Lake Erie, they have water intake areas. And you want
to make sure you’re not going to take any of that Microcystis into your water inlet
valves.”
It used to be that the dangerous algae mushroomed only once every ten years,
but for the past nine summers, there’s been an annual outbreak of Microcystis
on Lake Erie. Scientists believe fertilizer run-off makes the outbreaks
worse. Professor Merry says the new research should help cities along all
of the Great Lakes avoid the algae when it builds up.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Bill Cohen in Columbus.
A new report finds the average person carries pesticide residue in their body that exceeds government-approved levels. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly reports:
Transcript
A new report finds the average person carries pesticide residue in their body that exceeds
government-approved levels. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly reports:
The Pesticide Action Network analyzed blood and urine samples of more than 9,000
people. The samples were collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
According to the report, every sample contained pesticide residue. The highest
concentrations were found in adult women, children and Mexican Americans, who were
more likely to work in agriculture.
Angelica Barrera is with the Pesticide Action Network. She says the current testing of
these products isn’t enough, and they’re calling on Congress to impose tougher
regulations.
“To put the burden of proof on the chemical manufacturers, that before they put anything
on the market, they need to prove that that pesticide is in fact safe for public use.”
The most commonly found pesticide residue was from chlorpyrifos, an chemical used in
agriculture. A spokesperson for Dow Chemical, which makes the pesticide, said their
products are safe if used properly.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Karen Kelly.
The Environmental Protection Agency says a new rule will cut down on pollution from stationary diesel engines. It applies to industrial equipment like backhoes and forklifts, and to farm tractors. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill reports:
Transcript
The Environmental Protection Agency says a new rule will cut down on pollution from
stationary diesel engines. It applies to industrial equipment like backhoes and forklifts,
and to farm tractors. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill reports:
The EPA says the measure will prevent up to 12,000 premature deaths, a million lost
work days, and 15,000 heart attacks every year.
The new rule aims to do two things: clean up diesel fuel, and clean the exhaust from
diesel engines. Doug Aburano is with the EPA.
“The engine manufacturers have agreed to produce a catalyst that would reduce
emissions from these engines, while we also have an agreement from the diesel producers
to reduce the sulfur content to such an extent that the sulfur would not poison the
catalysts that the engine manufacturers are doing. So you have to do a collaborative
approach like that to get to the huge reductions we’re looking at.”
Aburano says emissions of soot and smog will be cut by 90%. It will take several years
to accomplish that, as businesses and farms replace old equipment. Health and
environmental organizations are welcoming the measure.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Stephanie Hemphill.
Carl Pope is the Executive Director of the Sierra Club. (Photo courtesy of the Sierra Club)
Lynn Scarlett is the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Interior's Office of Policy, Management and Budget.
As the political campaigns get into full swing this presidential election year, the environmental record of George W. Bush is being scrutinized. The big environmental groups are very critical of the Bush administration. In the first of two interviews about the Bush White House approach to environmental protection, the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham talks with the Executive Director of the Sierra Club, Carl Pope. Pope and the Sierra Club are critical of the Bush administration’s record on environmental protection:
Transcript
As the political campaigns get into full swing this presidential election year, the
environmental record of George W. Bush is being scrutinized. The big environmental
groups are very critical of the Bush administration. In the first of two interviews about
the Bush White House approach to environmental protection, the Great Lakes Radio
Consortium’s Lester Graham talks with the Executive Director of the Sierra Club, Carl Pope.
Pope and the Sierra Club are critical of the Bush administration’s record on environmental
protection:
POPE: “The biggest environmental problem this country faces right now is the policies of this
administration. It’s kind of stunning too, when you add it all up, just how much damage they
have quietly managed to set in motion in only three years.”
LG: “Now, we’ve listened to folks in the Bush administration who indicate that what they’re
really doing is bringing some balance to dealing with the economic issues the nation faces and
how it relates to the environmental issues that we face.”
POPE: “Well, let’s look at three trends. In 1980, when Ronald Reagan was President, we began
cleaning up toxic wastes dumps in this country with the Superfund. In 2003, for the first time
because the Bush administration both allowed the Superfund to run out of money and allowed
companies to start dumping new kinds of toxins on the landscape, the American landscape
became more polluted. We started going backwards after 20 years of progress.
1972, under Richard Nixon, another Republican, we made a national commitment under the
Clean Water Act to clean up our rivers and lakes. In 2003, because the Bush administration cut
funding for clean water clean-up and because they exempted large factory feedlots from clean
water regulation, EPA had to report for the first time in 30 years America’s waterways had gotten
dirtier.
And finally, in 1902, Theodore Roosevelt, a third Republican, created Grand Canyon National
Monument. And every president since Theodore Roosevelt left us with more of the American
landscape protected than he found it. And in only three years uniquely, singularly and in the
violation of the entire trend of the entire 20th century, this President Bush has stripped
environmental protection from 235 million acres. It’s an area as big as Texas and Oklahoma that
is now open to development which was protected when George Bush became President. I don’t
think that’s balance.”
LG: “I assume that you’re not all that chummy with everyone in the White House these days….
POPE: “That’s a safe assumption.”
LG: …but I’m trying to get an insight into what you think the thinking might be behind some of
the decisions that the Bush administration makes.”
POPE: “Well, in 1970 we made a national compact in this country. It was a national
environmental compact which was: we were environmental optimists and we believed that as a
nation that we could clean up every waterway, we could modernize every power plant and we
could remedy every toxic waste dump. We said as a nation ‘You know, everybody in this country
is going to have water that’s safe to drink. Everybody is going to live in a community where the
air doesn’t give their kids asthma. And we’re going to take time to do it. The federal government
is going to help everybody. And we’re all going to do it as a community.’ I think the fundamental
problem with that compact from the point of view of this administration is the ‘everyone’ part of
it. They really don’t believe that the community should do very much. They believe individuals
should take care of themselves. If you want to have safe drinking water, get yourself your own
supply; buy bottled water. If you want to breathe clean air, move somewhere where the air is
cleaner. They really don’t believe in the idea that every American ought to enjoy certain basic
environmental amenities simply as a consequence of being an American.
And, I think what motivates them is their concern that if it’s the federal government that
is cleaning up our toxic waste sites, then people will have faith in the federal government. And
they don’t have faith in the federal government. In fact, one of their chief advisors says he wants
to shrink the federal government down to a size where he can drown it in a bathtub. And I think
it’s the fact that the environmental compact in this country was based on the idea of an
environmental safety net for everyone that they find antithetical to their view that we all ought to
be tough, we all ought to be competitive, we all ought to be self-reliant and on our own. And
they don’t like the fact that the environmental compact says wait a minute, we’re all in this
together and we’re going to solve it together.”
HOST TAG: Carl Pope is the Executive Director of the Sierra Club.
Two electronics manufacturers say they are taking steps to significantly reduce the amount of lead in their products. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Chris Lehman reports:
Transcript
Two electronics manufacturers say they are taking steps to
significantly reduce the amount of lead in their products. The Great
Lakes Radio Consortium’s Chris Lehman reports:
Items such as computers, cell phones and fax machines contain trace
amounts of lead. If these items are thrown out, the lead can find its
way into the environment.
Intel and National Semiconductor make processors and microchips used in
many of these products. Now, the two companies say they plan to phase
out the use of lead over the next few years.
Mike Brozda is spokesman for National Semiconductor. He says his
company’s move could take up to five tons of lead out of production
each year…
“In any product, the amount of lead is measured literally in
micrograms. It’s far less than the weight of a human hair. So we’re
talking about microscopic amounts of lead on any particular chip. But
when you make billions of chips, it adds up.”
Brozda says the move comes as many countries are enacting stricter
environmental regulations that require a reduction of lead in
electronic equipment.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Chris Lehman.
