EPA Hearings on Mercury Pollution From Power Plants

EPA Sets Hearing Dates for 1st National Standard for Mercury Pollution from Power Plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold three public hearings in May on the proposed mercury and air toxics standards signed on March 16, 2011. The new power plant mercury and air toxics standards – which eliminate 20 years of uncertainty across industry – would require many power plants to install widely available, proven pollution control technologies to cut harmful emissions of mercury, arsenic, chromium, nickel and acid gases, while preventing as many as 17,000 premature deaths and 11,000 heart attacks a year and would provide other important and significant health benefits.

WHAT: Public hearings on proposed mercury and air toxics standards

WHEN: May 24 and 26, 2011

Each hearing will begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue until 8:00 p.m. (local time)

WHERE: May 24: Chicago, Ill.
Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro
799 West Madison Street
Chicago, Ill. 60611

May 24: Philadelphia, Pa.
Westin Philadelphia
99 South 17th Street at Liberty Place
Philadelphia, Pa. 19103

May 26: Atlanta, Ga.
Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center
61 Forsyth Street SW
Atlanta, Ga. 30303-8960

The public may register with Ms. Pamela Garrett, telephone 919-541-7966, to speak at a specific time at a hearing or register in person on the day of a hearing. EPA also will accept written comments on the proposed standards for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. We expect the standards to be published shortly.

For more information and instructions for submitting written comments