Mercury Reduction from Coal Plants - Illinois
On January 5, 2006, Illinois Governor Blagojevich proposed a strong set of mercury pollution control standards. The proposal would require coal plant owners to install modern pollution control equipment to reduce mercury pollution by 90 percent or more by June 30, 2009.
Unlike other state mercury reduction efforts that involved some sort of legislative catalyst, the Illinois effort appears to be an executive directive from the Governor to the Illinois Pollution Control Board (PCB) to establish agressive mercury reduction rules for power plants.
The Governor's proposed rules were filed March 14th with the Illinois PCB. The proposed rule for tougher mercury standards will go before the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) this summer.
According to the Environmental Law and Policy Center of the Midwest, the new mercury rules are are expected to be hotly contested. The complete documentation (filings, comments, background, etc.) from the rulemaking can be found at the following web site at the PCB:
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