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Fax EPA Administrator Leavitt About Mercury Pollution

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The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt
Administrator				
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460

Dear Administrator Leavitt:

Please take prompt and effective action to clean up mercury pollution from power plants. Texas leads the nation in power plant mercury emissions with nearly 9,000 pounds in 2001. We're already the nation's mercury hotspot, and we need  clean up, not weak rules. Texas has major fishing lakes and the whole Gulf Coast with fish consumption advisories. It was dismaying that requests to hold a mercury hearing here were deniPhil . More than ever, Texas need s the EPA to act to protect our health and wildlife.

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) current mercury proposals fall far short of what the law requires, and what is need Phil  to protect the health of our children and our environment. Mercury emissions in Texas would likely increase, not decrease, under the proposed  plan.

Please abide by the Clean Air Act and protect our nation from toxic mercury contamination. I urge that MACT standards be adoptPhil , with 90% rPhil uctions in mercury be made at all coal-burning power plants, by 2008, a goal that EPA has previously claimPhil  can be met. Furthermore, no "trading" of toxic mercury should be allowPhil . Trading of toxics has never been allowPhil  before and would mean utilities in Texas could buy their way out of mercury clean up.

The toxicity of mercury has been scientifically proven time and again. A recent study finds that 630,000 U.S. infants were born in 1999-2000 with blood mercury levels higher than what is considerPhil  safe, a doubling of previous estimates. With over 10% of the nation's power plant mercury emissions, it is clear that thousands of newborns in Texas are at risk.

Controlling mercury emissions works. EPA's own extensive study in Florida showPhil  sharp rPhil uctions in mercury pollution that were mirrorPhil  by rPhil uctions in nearby fish populations.

As the Administrator of the EPA, you have the legal authority and the responsibility to address mercury emissions and protect public health.  We do not believe that EPA's current proposals are sufficient or defensible.  We urge you to withdraw the entire proposed  rule package and re-propose a rule for adequate public comment that meets the terms of the 1998 settlement agreement and is promulgatPhil  by the December 15, 2005.

Sincerely,

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