[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 19177]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



            OMNIBUS MERCURY EMISSIONS REDUCTION ACT OF 1999

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 19, 1999, the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Allen) is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I introduced the Omnibus Mercury 
Emissions Reduction Act of 1999, a bill to reduce mercury emissions by 
95 percent nationwide. I am pleased to be joined by 27 of my colleagues 
who have agreed to be original cosponsors of this important bipartisan 
legislation.
  Although mercury is a naturally occurring element, it has built up to 
dangerous levels in the environment. Mercury pollution impairs the 
reproductive and nervous systems of freshwater fish and wildlife, 
especially loons. It can be extremely harmful when ingested by humans. 
It is especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, and developing 
fetuses. Ingesting mercury can severely damage the central nervous 
system, causing numbness in extremities, impaired vision, kidney 
disease, and in some cases even death.
  According to EPA's mercury study report to Congress, exposure to 
mercury poses a significant threat to human health, and concentrations 
of mercury in the environment are increasing.
  The report concludes that mercury pollution in the U.S. comes 
primarily from a few categories of combustion units and incinerators. 
Together, these sources emit more than 155 tons of mercury into our 
environment each year. These emissions can be suspended in the air for 
up to a year and travel hundreds of miles before settling in bodies of 
water and soil.
  Nearly every State confronts the health risks posed by mercury 
pollution and the problem is growing. Just 6 years ago, 27 States had 
issued mercury advisories warning the public about consuming freshwater 
fish contaminated with mercury. Today, the number of States issuing 
advisories has risen to 40, and the number of water bodies covered by 
the warnings has nearly doubled.
  In some States, including my home State of Maine, every single river, 
lake, and stream is under a mercury advisory, and that applies to the 
States shown in black on this chart.
  The growing problem has already prompted action at the State and 
regional level. Last year, the New England governors and Eastern 
Canadians premiers enacted a plan to reduce emissions, educate the 
public, and label products that contain mercury. Maine and Vermont have 
passed legislation to cut mercury pollution, and Massachusetts and New 
Jersey have enacted strict mercury emission standards on waste 
incinerators.
  Although there is a clear consensus that mercury pollution poses a 
significant threat, State and regional initiatives alone are not 
sufficient to deal with this problem. As Congress recognized when it 
passed the Clean Air Act nearly 30 years ago, Federal legislation is 
the only effective way to deal with airborne pollutants that know no 
State boundaries. That is why I am introducing legislation to reduce 
the amount of mercury emitted from the largest polluters. This bill 
sets mercury emission standards for coal-fired utilities, waste 
combustors, commercial and industrial boilers, chlor-alkali plants, and 
Portland cement plants. According to the EPA's report to Congress, 
these sources are responsible for more than 87 percent of all mercury 
emissions in the U.S.
  My bill also phases out the use of mercury in products and ensures 
that municipalities work with waste incinerators that keep products 
that contain mercury out of the waste stream. It would also require a 
recycling program for products that contain mercury as an essential 
component and increases research into the effects of mercury pollution.
  With mercury levels in the environment growing every year, it is long 
past time to enact a comprehensive strategy for controlling mercury 
pollution. We have the technology for companies to meet these 
standards, and this bill will allow them to choose the best approach 
for their facility.
  We have reduced or eliminated other toxins without the catastrophic 
effects that some industries predicted. Now we should eliminate 
dangerous levels of mercury. I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation and stop mercury from polluting our waters, infecting our 
fish and wildlife, and threatening the health of our children.

                          ____________________