From secret spots in the Northwoods, to urban rivers, to the open horizons of the Great Lakes, Wisconsin is blessed with an abundance and variety of beautiful natural resources.
Mercury emissions, however, have been putting at risk our great hunting and fishing traditions, our beautiful lakes, our rivers, and our streams. Every year, thousands of pounds of mercury are released into our air, our soil, and our bodies of water. Nearly all of Wisconsin’s lakes, rivers, and streams are currently under a mercury advisory to limit the consumption of fish.
As Governor, I have made a commitment to make sure Wisconsin has clean air and water. That is why I ordered my Department of Natural Resources to issue a rule that will not only make dramatic reductions in mercury emissions, but also stands to substantially reduce other air pollution as well.
Beginning next year the Department of Natural Resources will begin implementing a new clean air rule which will reduce mercury emissions from state coal plants by 90 percent and also significantly reduce other harmful air pollutants over the next six years.
This rule is innovative, allows utilities some flexibility, and at the same time will speed the improvements to Wisconsin’s air quality. It requires all power plants over 150 megawatts to take either two courses.
Utilities can reduce mercury emissions by 90 percent by 2015, or they can reduce mercury emissions by 70 percent by 2015 and make reductions in other pollutants. These plants would have to reduce sulfur dioxide by 80 percent and reduce nitrogen oxides by 50 percent. In addition to these new reductions in sulfur dioxides and nitrous oxides, utilities that take this route would have to achieve 80 percent mercury reductions by 2018 and 90 percent by 2021.
Because technology exists that efficiently reduces mercury and other air pollutants simultaneously, the new rule encourages Wisconsin utilities to do so. This “multi-pollutant” approach will dramatically reduce sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, pollutants that cause increases in ozone, haze, and particulate matter.
Mercury is a real threat not only to our rivers and lakes, but also the health of our citizens. By enacting this proposal, we’ll save Wisconsin lives and cut more than $200 million in health care related costs. This rule will protect our children because they deserve to grow up in place where mercury doesn’t threaten their ability to learn. These reductions will significantly improve health for everyone, but especially for those most vulnerable to poor air quality – lowering the incidence of asthma, cardiovascular disease, strokes and premature death.
It also honors our great hunting and fishing traditions which are a vital part of our future. We love to fish here in Wisconsin and lots of people come here to fish. In fact, our state is second only to Florida in the number of non-resident angler fishing days. Fishing is a $2.75 billion a year industry in our state, supporting many jobs and businesses.
The new mercury rule will help protect this economic engine. More importantly, it will allow our children and grandchildren to eat all the fish they catch without threatening their health.
The new mercury rule is a cornerstone of our strategy to move all Wisconsin counties into attainment status under the federal Clean Air Act. Combined with other actions we have previously taken, under the new rule Wisconsin will not only meet these federal standards, but will do so without having to impose costly and burdensome regulations on industry in the non-attainment areas.
While the new rule is a major step forward in our state’s efforts to keep our air clean, we will continue to work within the Great Lakes region and nationally to improve our nation’s air. Progress is being made. Twenty-two states, including Minnesota and Illinois, have adopted a 90 percent reduction standard for mercury. And in two separate cases, the Governor’s decision to strengthen protections in Wisconsin was validated when federal courts tossed out the Bush administration’s rules on mercury and other pollutants as being too weak.
We are looking forward to a new administration in Washington that will follow the lead of Wisconsin and other states to substantially reduce mercury as well as other air pollutants, ensuring a cleaner future for our children.
