Saturday, February 28, 2009

Mercury Controls For Air Emissions - Petition Under 319(g)

The New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission has petitioned that EPA regarding Section 319(g) of the Clean Water Act, which requires controls on air emissions of mercury. EPA is being asked to bring together a management conference with eleven States that contribute much of the mercury emissions that end up in water bodies in the Northeast.

The EPA approved a Northeastern regional mercury TMDL last year that the States believe can only can be achieved through stricter federal air emission controls on mercury. Under Section 319(g) of the Clean Water Act, States can petition the EPA to bring together "a management conference of all states which contribute significant pollution resulting from nonpoint sources".

The petition prepared by the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission says that Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and Illinois each contribute significant nonpoint source mercury pollution that prevent them from meeting their goals.



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