Governor Says No Mercury Emissions From Coal-Fired Power Plants In Idaho

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Idaho


    Idaho Governor Risch Says No Mercury Emissions From Coal-Fired Power
    Plants In Idaho

August 9, 2006 -- TWIN FALLS - Governor Jim Risch today directed the
Department of Environmental Quality to develop rules that will keep
Idaho out of a national mercury cap-and-trade program. The result of the
Governor?s decision means that coal-fired power plants could not be
built in the state.

?Idaho is in a unique position because we don?t have any coal-fired
power plants. With my decision to opt-out of the Environmental
Protection Agency?s interstate trading program on mercury emissions, it
means that we will have decided to prohibit mercury discharge by
coal-fired electrical generating plants into Idaho?s air,? Risch said.
?This is a very important step in protecting Idaho?s environment and the
people who call Idaho home. There are companies that have tried to build
coal-fired power facilities in Idaho and will continue to try if we were
to opt-in. While I promote economic development throughout the state the
health implications of mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants
far outweigh any economic benefits.?


The Environmental Protection Agency created a national program to
permanently cap and reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power
plants, which are the largest source of mercury emissions in the U.S.

The EPA?s Clean Air Mercury Rule limits mercury emissions from new and
existing coal-fired power plants and creates a market-based
cap-and-trade program nationwide. Each state is assigned an emissions
?budget? for mercury and must submit a state plan on how it will meet
its budget to reduce mercury from coal-fired power plants.

Idaho?s budget or cap is ?0?, since there are no coal-fired power plants
in the state. If the state were to opt-in and participate in the
interstate mercury cap-and-trade program, mercury emission credits could
be purchased or transferred by a utility from coal-fired utilities in
other states. Those credits could then be used to operate a coal-fired
facility in Idaho.

?I am directing the Department of Environmental Quality to develop rules
that keeps us out of the mercury cap-and-trade program. If we do
nothing, the EPA will automatically opt Idaho into the trading program.
I do not want to see us importing mercury emissions from other states
into Idaho,? said Risch. The EPA deadline for notification of a state?s
decision is November 17.

Source: Idaho Governor's Office