EPA Proposal to Weaken Water Quality Spurs Outrage

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EPA Proposal to Weaken Water Quality Spurs Outrage

 

 

Bush Greenwatch

 

 

April 18, 2005 | Back Issues

 

EPA Proposal to Weaken Water Quality Spurs Outrage

 

With the public comment period closing today, environmental groups are

continuing to battle against the Environmental Protection Agency's

(EPA) proposal to weaken Clean Water Act protections for selenium, a

toxic metal discharged into bodies of water by coal mines and

coal-fired power plants.

 

In Pennsylvania, a major coal mining state, local environmental groups

are battling the proposed weakened standard. Arthur Stamoulis

spokesman for the Philadelphia-based, Clean Air Council, told

BushGreenwatch, " Coal mines and coal-fired power plants in

Pennsylvania already produce more selenium than any other state. The

new criteria would increase selenium discharge by 200 to 300 percent. "

 

While selenium exists naturally in a wide variety of habitats, and

small amounts are crucial to the survival of humans and wildlife, high

levels can cause severe reproductive impairment and even death in

fish, birds, and other wildlife. [1] In humans, selenium is linked to

kidney and liver damage, and damage to the circulatory and nervous

system. [2]

 

Joan Mulhern, senior legislative counsel at Earthjustice, says, " The

Bush administration is proposing changes to the selenium standard that

are being promoted by the coal mining and other industries that want

to avoid taking steps to limit this serious form of water pollution. " [3]

 

The study on which EPA based its proposal is also a point of

controversy. Dennis Lemly, a scientist with the U.S. Forest Service

who conducted the research, pointed out several flaws within his own

study.

 

" The study was flawed at the outset in that the contractor indicated

that EPA would accept levels of mortality at 20 percent, which is

completely unacceptable to protect aquatic life, " Lemly said. In the

past the EPA has kept the sub-lethal effects of a contaminant under 10

percent.

 

The proposal increases the allowable concentration of selenium in fish

to 7.91 parts per million, far above the current limit of 5 parts per

million. [5]

 

Lemly went on to tell BushGreenwatch, " The tissue levels of selenium

the EPA is proposing would kill half the fish in my study, which is

clearly not sufficient to protect aquatic life. The idea is preposterous. "

 

While scientists have challenged the validity of the study,

Earthjustice's Mulhern said the coal-mining industry has used this

same study to try to influence West Virginia to adopt weaker selenium

standards.

 

Over 90 scientists, researchers and university professors from the

Academy of Natural Sciences, Alleghany College, Dickinson College,

Penn State University and the University of Pennsylvania have signed a

letter objecting to the proposed standard. [6] The Union of Concerned

Scientists' website posts several other scientific irregularities

concerning the EPA proposal (www.ucsusa.org).

 

The Forest Service's Lemly stressed the long-term environmental

implications of increased contamination. " Such an increase in selenium

would kill enough fish to take away the food base for aquatic

dependent wildlife, presenting a classic disruption of the food chain. "

 

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TAKE ACTION

Send your comments on the rule change to EPA through UCS.

 

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SOURCES:

[1] EPA website.

[2] Union of Concerned Scientists action alert.

[3] BushGreenwatch, Jan. 11, 2005.

[4] UCS op. cit.

[5] Federal Register, Dec. 17, 2004.

[6] UCS op. cit.

 

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