Epa Report: Mercury Contamination Widespread

More and more Americans are being warned that the local fish they eat could be contaminated with mercury and other toxins, according to a new report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Sarah Hulett reports:

Transcript

More and more Americans are being warned that the local fish they eat could be
contaminated with mercury and other toxins, according to a new report by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Sarah Hulett
reports:


The EPA report reflects the number of state-issued fish consumption advisories. And
according to those advisories, more than a third of the nation’s lakes, and close to a
quarter of its rivers contain fish that could be contaminated. In addition to that, 100
percent of the Great Lakes and its connecting waterways are covered by fish consumption
advisories.


EPA officials say the increased warnings reflect better monitoring by states, and not
increased emissions.


But environmental groups are using the data to attack the Bush administration’s proposed
new mercury emission rules as doing too little, too late. Ed Hopkins is with the Sierra
Club.


“I’m sure that everyone would like to see mercury emissions reduced sharply, so that fish
are safe to eat again.”


The EPA is expected to issue new rules for mercury that would require coal-fired power
plants to reduce their emissions by 70 percent by 2018. By contrast, the Clinton
administration called for a 90 percent reduction by 2008.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Sarah Hulett.

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Groups Say Bush Mercury Plan Could Hurt Tourism

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.

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Governor Calls for Uniform Water Standards

Some Great Lakes governors have agreed they should adopt a consistent set of rules for determining whether their water is clean and safe. We have more from the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Rick Pluta:

Transcript

Some Great Lakes governors have agreed they should adopt a consistent
set of rules for determining whether their water is clean and safe. We
have more from the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Rick Pluta:


Seven years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called on
Great Lakes states to develop uniform standards for monitoring water
quality. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm says it’s time to end the
patchwork of water protection policies among the states that surround
the lakes.


“Every state has different standards with respect to the water quality.
For example, there may be eight different advisories in respect to fish
consumption in all of the different eight states.”


Granholm is asking the Great Lakes governors and the EPA to form a task
force to create a set of uniform standards. She says that would make it
easier for Great Lakes states to stand together to protect the
resource. And, she says, people would be assured their water is safe
for drinking, swimming and fishing, regardless of which state they are
in.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Rick Pluta.

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Mercury Consumption Levels Raised

A U-S agency says it’s safe to ingest higher levels of mercury. Some
environmental groups say the agency is making a mistake. The Great Lakes
Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports: