10/22/2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Melissa Scanlan
Midwest Environmental Advocates, Inc.
(608) 251-5047 ext. 3

Madison, WI - Today the Natural Resources Board for Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will set a course that will have long term impacts on public health in Wisconsin. The Natural Resources Board is considering two rules: one to control mercury contamination and the other to control a broad array of air toxics.

"The State has the responsibility to ensure that we have clean fish to eat and clean air to breathe, and these rules present a path of progress towards those goals," said Melissa K. Scanlan, Executive Director of Midwest Environmental Advocates.

Every lake and river in Wisconsin has a health warning due to widespread mercury contamination of fish. Families who live near industrial plants are subject to a toxic soup of air pollution that can cause cancer, reproductive problems, and developmental disabilities. The failure to take action to correct this harms public health and our quality of life.

The DNR proposed rules on air toxics, NR 445, and the mercury emission rule, NR 446, last spring. The Republican-controlled legislative standing committees sent them back to the DNR, and now the Natural Resources board must decide once again whether to take action.

Midwest Environmental Advocates encourages the Natural Resources Board to reaffirm its prior decision to adopt mercury emission regulations for utilities in Wisconsin and air toxic regulations for all industries.