March 18, 2008: Doyle: Cut Mercury Pollution 90 Percent

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle put forward an administrative rule to decrease mercury pollution from coal plants, one reason being that it will reduce health-care related costs.

Capital Times
Doyle: Cut Mercury Pollution 90 Percent
By Judith Davidoff
March 18, 2008
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/277604

Coal-fired power plants would be required to cut their mercury emissions by 90 percent under a proposed administrative rule Gov. Jim Doyle announced this morning at a news conference at the Alliant Energy Center corporate headquarters.

The Department of Natural Resources rule would cut mercury output in the state by 4,400 pounds a year, Doyle's office said in a news release.

Health risks associated with heightened levels of mercury include developmental delays in children and heart attacks in adults.