"EPA Chided for Disregarding Mercury Study"

[bloom]

Wed Mar 23, 8:41 AM ET

By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites)'s decision to ignore researchers' analysis of possible health benefits from reducing mercury pollution from power plants was criticized Tuesday by Democrats in Congress. (yea!!!)

"Why is the EPA suppressing the evidence that mercury pollution can be controlled better and faster?" asked Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass.

EPA officials said the study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis wasn't submitted until Feb. 22, more than a month after the deadline the agency set for considering new data. The agency published its new regulations on mercury pollution from power plants on March 15.
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Hammitt's study estimated the potential public health benefits from cutting mercury pollution from coal-burning power plants in half 15 years from now at $5 billion a year, compared to the EPA's estimate of up to $50 million a year. The EPA put the cost of the cleanup to utilities and users of electricity at $750 million a year in 2020. <more>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&e=6&u=/ap/20050323/ap_on_sc/epa_mercury_study_2
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Good on the Democrats for taking this up.