MERCURY IN OUR RIVERS AND IN OUR BELLIES Chandra Brown Mercury - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

MERCURY IN OUR RIVERS AND IN OUR BELLIES Chandra Brown

Mercury  Mercury is a neurotoxin that interferes with brain and nervous system.  How are we at risk?  Emitted from coal plants and other sources  Enters waterways  Converted to methyl mercury (humans more vulnerable to this form)  Goes up food chain as large fish consume contaminated smaller fish  Mercury accumulates at ever-increasing levels  Humans eat the fish

Effects of Mercury on Wildlife A recent study found that mercury  can disrupt reproduction and increase mortality rates in mummichog fishes Mercury in fish feed has been found  to reduce intestinal and renal function in farm raised salmon Mallards show ill-effects of mercury  on eggs at levels as low as 0.1 ppm Ring-necked pheasants show side-  effects of mercury on eggs as low as 0.2 ppm Mercury in the environment can  effect the number of fish that we catch, the number of ducks we have to eat and other wildlife.

Mercury Effects on Wildlife  A recent study of 16 great egret chicks found that mercury levels of 0.5 mg/kg in food can significantly affect:  Activity  Tendency to seek shade  Motivation to hunt  Birds fed food at 5 mg/kg had to be euthanized Photo credit: http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/chf/pub/ifwis/birds/great-egret.html

Mercury Effects on People  Neurological disorders  Learning disabilities  Reduction in motor skills  Lowered IQ levels

Mercury Effects on People  According to EPA, 1 in 6 babies are born each year having been exposed to excessive mercury in their mother’s womb  Resulting in brain damage, low IQ and developmental disorders.

Blackwater Rivers and Mercury  USGS study released in August 2009 found that blackwater river systems are the most vulnerable river systems in the nation to mercury pollution from the air  EPD has failed to consider the specific needs of these unique river systems in the permits

ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION OF MERCURY

Mercury Levels in Fish in the Rivers 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.2 1.4 1.6 0 1 black crappie black crappie black crappie Data from US EPA bluegill sunfish bluegill sunfish bluegill sunfish bluegill sunfish bluegill sunfish chain pickerel chain pickerel largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass TMDL Collection on the Ogeechee, 2003 largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass largemouth bass redbreast sunfish redbreast sunfish redbreast sunfish redbreast sunfish redbreast sunfish redbreast sunfish redbreast sunfish redbreast sunfish redbreast sunfish redbreast sunfish snail bullhead snail bullhead snail bullhead snail bullhead snail bullhead

Existing Mercury Problem In the Rivers  99% of the mercury in the Ogeechee system comes from air pollution  The limit for mercury in the air is less than 20 pounds/year  The Rivers already receive nearly 2 times this limit

1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 200 400 600 800 0 Scherer Electric Gen … Sources: 2005 Toxic Release Inventory Data and Plant Washington Air Permit Sources of Mercury in Georgia Bowen Electric Gen Plant Wansley Electric Gen … Branch Electric Gen Plant Yates Electric Gen Plant Olin Corp Temple-Inland … Longleaf (Estimated) Hammond Electric Gen … McDonough/Atkinson … Plant Washington … Great Southern Paper Kraft Electric Gen Plant International Paper-… Mitchell Electric Gen … McIntosh Electric Gen … Graphic Packaging SP Newsprint Cemex Southeast, LLC Rayonier Performance … R.J. Reynolds Brunswick Cellulose Fort James-Savannah PCS Nitrogen Fertilizer Procter and Gamble … Miller Breweries EBAA Iron Inc Shaw Industries 15x

Hot Spots of Mercury Created Near Sources  Plant Washington will be permitted to emit 100+ pounds of mercury every year  Studies in the Ohio valley found that vast majority of mercury falls to the ground within a 100-km of the coal plant

Storm Water Discharges to Williamson Swamp Creek—No Mercury Limits

The State of Georgia Has Failed  The permits do not protect us, our children or our environment from the dangerous pollutant, mercury.  The permits will allow unknown quantities of mercury to enter the rivers through stormwater runoff, groundwater leaching, and wastewater discharges.  The permits will allow more mercury into our air than is acceptable under the Clean Water Act.  The permits fail to adequately regulate the storage and handling of toxic coal ash on the site.

Our Children Deserve a Clean Start  Developing babies and young children are the most vulnerable to mercury pollution  Georgia’s blackwater rivers like the Ogeechee, Canoochee and others are particularly susceptible to mercury pollution entering from the air  More coal fired power plants will add more mercury to our waters, fish and bodies

You Can Stop Mercury Pollution  Pledge to reduce your energy use at home (visit www.ogeecheewildflower.org )  Call Governor Perdue and ask him to protect our families from mercury and deny the permits for the new coal plants ( www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org )  Volunteer to share your energy conservation success!