Governor Pataki Gets Tough On New York's Coal-Fired Power Plants

"Under the draft proposal, New York would cut the level of mercury from electricity-generating stations in half by 2010. By 2015, the new state mercury standard would be toughened further, requiring a 90 percent reduction from current levels."

"If the state's new mercury rule is carried out, it would complete a far-ranging and comprehensive set of controls over the four most damaging air pollutants from power plants. A 2003 state program curtails nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, which cause acid rain. Late last year, seeing the federal inaction on global warming, New York and six other northeastern states joined together to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the heat-trapping gases that contribute to climate change.

'By adopting these new standards, all coal-fired power plants in the state would be required to use pollution-control technologies to significantly reduce their mercury emissions,' Mr. Pataki said in a statement released by his office yesterday."

"Environmentalists, even those who had criticized Mr. Pataki for his reluctance to include mercury controls in a package of power plant rules adopted in 2003, welcomed yesterday's announcement."

'This is the proper mechanism to regulate a neurotoxin such as mercury,' said Jason K. Babbie, an environmental analyst with the New York Public Interest Research Group. He supports the proposed rules, but said the timetable for reductions should be accelerated and brought more in line with other states."