Toxics News

As the new home of ConnPIRG's environmental work, Environment Connecticut can be contacted regarding this news release.   

NEW HARTFORD—A coalition of environmentalists, sportsmen, health care providers, and Connecticut families today called on the Bush administration to throw back their proposal to weaken mercury standards for coal burning power plants. ConnPIRG, the statewide environmental group, released a new report highlighting the dangerously high levels of toxic mercury in Connecticut's fish.

"Mercury pollution is making the fish from Connecticut's waterways unsafe to eat," said Christopher Phelps, ConnPIRG's legislative advocate. "The mercury reductions in the Bush administration's plan are too little, too late. The administration should throw it back," he continued.

ConnPIRG's new report "Reel Danger: Power Plant Mercury Emissions and the Fish We Eat" revealed test results that every fish sampled in Connecticut's lakes was contaminated with mercury, and 75 percent of samples exceeded the EPA's "safe" limit for women of childbearing age. ConnPIRG's new report comes as the Bush administration prepares to finalize a highly controversial proposal to delay meaningful reductions in mercury emissions from power plants until at least 2018.

Power plants are the single largest source of mercury emissions and the technology is available to reduce power plant mercury emissions by at least 90 percent. Connecticut's two coal fired power plants have committed to install the modern pollution controls.

"Midwestern power plants are leaving a dirty footprint on Connecticut's waterways. Every river, lake and stream in our state is so contaminated by mercury people are warned to limit their consumption of fish," said Margaret Miner of the Connecticut Rivers Alliance.

Mercury is toxic to the developing brain, and exposure in the womb can cause learning disabilities, developmental delays, and other serious health problems in children. EPA estimates that one in six women of childbearing age has enough mercury in her blood to put her child at risk. Eating contaminated fish is the primary way people are exposed to mercury.

"Children deserve a fair shot, and these weakened regulations put our country's future at risk", said Chevonne Mohparsit, an expecting mother who is due to give birth this December.

Dr. Peter Jannuzzi, a Unionville Pediatrician, added "It is a sad thing to have to counsel parents and children against eating such an otherwise wonderful nutritional component."

"We commend Representatives Nancy Johnson, Rob Simmons, Rosa DeLauro, John Larson, Chris Shays, and Senators Dodd and Lieberman for sending a letter to President Bush asking him to withdraw the flawed proposal and instead reduce mercury emissions from power plants by 90 percent by 2008," Phelps concluded.

ConnPIRG is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy organization.