Clean Air News

As the new home of NCPIRG's environmental work, Environment North Carolina can be contacted with any questions regarding this news release. 

RALEIGH—Mercury contamination is at crisis levels at many of North Carolina's favorite fishing spots, according to a new report released today by NCPIRG, detailing the most recent data on mercury fish consumption advisories issued in 2002. The report comes as the Bush administration is urging Congress to pass the so-called "Clear Skies Initiative," which would triple the amount of mercury pollution allowed from power plants.

According to Fishing for Trouble, a report released by NCPIRG, all coastal waters in North Carolina were under mercury consumption advisories in 2002. These advisories warn NC residents, especially pregnant women and children who are especially vulnerable to mercury's serious health effects, against eating fish caught off North Carolina shores.

"Mercury contamination is poisoning our water at a level greater than ever before," said Jeremy Reckmeyer. "Now the Bush administration wants to triple the amount of mercury pollution allowed from power plants. That's fishing for trouble."

Mercury is a toxic metal that, when ingested, can lead to neurological damage, especially for children. Health problems include attention and language deficits, impaired memory, inability to process and recall information, and impaired visual and motor function. People are primarily exposed to the chronic effects of mercury by consuming mercury-contaminated food, such as fish. Eight percent of American women of childbearing age have elevated levels of mercury in their bodies, putting approximately 322,000 newborns at risk of neurological problems due to exposure in utero.

The Bush administration's air pollution plan would allow three times more mercury pollution from power plants than the existing Clean Air Act, allow industry ten additional years to implement mercury controls, and would allow some sources of mercury to pollute without any limits whatsoever. The report identifies aging, largely unregulated coal-fired power plants as the largest industrial source of mercury pollution. North Carolina ranks 10th in the country for mercury emissions from power plants.

"Our treasured Great Smoky Mountains have the 8th highest mercury levels in the country, with dangerous pollution rates that are 70% higher than the national average," Ulla Reeves, Regional Air Director for Southern Alliance for Clean Energy stated. "While our park suffers, Congress is about to let mercury pollution get a lot worse."

Key findings of the report include:

• Nationally, there were 2,148 active mercury advisories in effect for at least 12 million acres of lakes (almost 30% of all lake acres) and 453,101 miles of rivers (almost 13% of all river miles). Fish consumption advisories on rivers and lakes warnings cover a greater area than ever before.

• Since 2001, the number of river miles under advisory for mercury has increased by 9%, and the number of lake acres under advisory for mercury has increased by 19%.

• Mercury contaminated fish are a threat to recreational fishing. In 2001, North Carolina recreational anglers spent $1,118.028,000 on fishing. North Carolina ranks # 5 for money spent on recreational fishing.

• Nine of the 19 states with mercury warnings covering all of their inland lakes or rivers-Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin-are also among the top twenty states for expenditures on recreational fishing.

• More than $27.8 billion of the $36.5 billion spent on fishing in 2001 was spent in states that have active fish consumption warnings for mercury.

In addition to urging Congress to reject the Bush administration's air pollution plan, NCPIRG called on decision-makers to protect public health and recreational fishing by enacting measures that remove mercury from the fish supply. After years of delay, the Environmental Protection Agency could act as early as this year to deliver major reductions in mercury pollution from power plants through implementation of the Clean Air Act.

NCPIRG called on the Congress and the Bush administration to:

• Faithfully implement of the Clean Air Act to reduce mercury emissions from power plants by at least 90 percent from existing levels. According to the Clean Air Act, the agency must issue "maximum achievable control technology" standards for each coal-fired power plant, with compliance due by the end of 2007. Given the acknowledged availability of technologies that can achieve a 90% reduction, the legal standard should be set at that level.

• Abandon the so-called "Clear Skies" air pollution plan, which would eliminate the mercury protections in the current Clean Air Act and allow power plants to emit three times more mercury over a longer period or time.

Fishing for Trouble was released during National Fishing and Boating Week, currently being celebrated around the country. States around the country are offering free fishing this week—a kick-off to a summer season that is seriously threatened by mercury contamination.