Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Minnesota Takes Big Step Toward Statewide Mercury Emissions Legislation

Minnesota's MPCA got federal approval yesterday to go forward with their statewide mercury emission legislation. There are still a few steps to go before it becomes law but this announcement means they can seriously start moving on it.

Excerpt from Minneapolis - St. Paul Star Tribune;

...The MPCA will spend the next year meeting with stakeholder groups to develop a plan to meet the ambitious goals, the agency said in a release.

The objective is to cut Minnesota's mercury emissions from 3,350 pounds a year to 789, spokesman Sam Brungardt said. Coal-fired power plants will account for 1,200 pounds of cuts under a Mercury Reduction Act approved by legislators last year. The MPCA still has to figure out how to cut about 1,400 pounds of emissions.

Minnesota is the first state to aim for statewide pollution limits for mercury, under the goals approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The full Star Tribune article can be read here.

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