GOVERNOR RISCH SAYS NO MERCURY EMISSIONS FROM COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS IN IDAHO

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.

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