IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES January 15, 2004 DNR ISSUES NATION'S FIRST AIR PERMIT WITH MERCURY LIMITS Iowa DNR recently issued the nation's first air permit that controls mercury emissions. The permit was issued in June for future expansion of the MidAmerican Energy station at the Council Bluffs Energy Center, expected to be operational in 2007. "The permit will reduce mercury emissions by at least 83 percent," said Chris Roling, the DNR engineer who issued the permit. The permit requires a "sorbent" or material such as activated charcoal powder or other material be mixed with flue gases to adsorb mercury. Fabric filters or electrostatic precipitators then collect the mercury-laden powder along with fly ash and soot. The sorbent material used will be determined during a test period closer to plant operation. Several options beside activated charcoal are nearing commercial availability. The DNR was able to consider the controls as a portion of the Clean Air Act kicked in that requires utilities and air pollution control agencies to look for ways to reduce mercury emissions using maximum achievable control technologies. "Our decision is on the books and should help other states and utilities decide to utilize these same mercury controls," said Roling. "There is a lot of research and testing of mercury controls, but we have the first permit to require controls." Roling said MidAmerican Energy proposed using the technology in their permit application. "Any new coal fired utilities in Iowa or elsewhere in the nation will also need mercury controls," he said. "The technology is available and not cost prohibitive." He noted that Wisconsin based Dairyland Power is considering building a coal-fired facility in Mitchell County, Chickasaw County or Alma, WI. Iowa also is a national leader in non-polluting wind energy. Currently, more than 400 wind turbines can potentially produce 423 megawatts, enough electricity for more than 130,000 homes. Airborne mercury precipitates into waterways and can accumulate in fish tissue, posing health risks, such as neurological damage and learning disabilities for developing children. Pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under the age of 15 are typically advised in many states to potentially eat limited amounts of certain fish, depending upon the species and fish size that also affect mercury concentrations. Iowa is considering providing new health information about mercury levels in fish, using more protective standards used by many states than the current FDA standards. The information is designed to help sensitive groups of Iowans make informed choices about consumption. Women of childbearing age and children are most susceptible to the potentially harmful effects of mercury. For more information on air pollution controls contact Brian Button at 515-281-7832. For more information on mercury and fish contact John Olson at 515-281-8905. # # # - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your voice heard! Find out how to get Take Action Alerts and other important Sierra Club messages by email at: http://www.sierraclub.org/email