AP Environmental Science

Mohave Generating Station, coal power plant in Nevada

The Environmental Protection Agency required coal-fired power plants to reduce mercury pollution earlier in 2006. Many individual states disagreed with this rule and watned the standards to be set highere.  About 12 states have increased the requirements for coal-fired power plants.

One of the states, Michigan, is going to require that plants “to cut 90 percent of mercury emissions by 2015.”

Is it really possible? Yes. In fact, 1 power plant, We Engeries, has already began reducin as much as 90% of its mercury from its emissions. “It is the first in the country to permanently install the necessary equipment.”

Althouh We Engeries in Michigan is doing this, pollution controls will not be needed to be installed accross the US for mayny years to come.

However, some argue that decreasing the mercury emissions from coal-fired plants will not necessarily decrease mercury in the State’s fish.

 I think that is worth a try and even if it doesn’t decrease mercury in the fish, it would probably still help the environment. Plus it might. We won’t know until we try.

States Toughen Federal Mercury Pollution Rules    By: Elizabeth Shorgren Information from: www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6444174  Picture from: www.wikipedia.org