Mercury trading ‘opt-out’ urged

Idaho Board of Environmental Quality members said Thursday they do not want the state to participate in a federal program that could encourage companies to build mercury-emitting, coal-fired power plants in the state.

Meeting in Coeur d’Alene, members voted unanimously to send a temporary “opt-out” policy proposal to Gov. Jim Risch. If he signs it, Idaho would join other states refusing to take part in the federal Clean Air Mercury Rule.

That program allows plant owners to buy and sell “mercury emission credits” from other companies that allow emissions of specific levels of mercury based on the amount of credits owned. The policy is designed to maintain a balance in the amount of pollution nationwide because only a certain number of credits exist, but the program can lead to an increase in mercury levels in areas to which credits are shifted.

Mercury has been shown to cause neurological damage, among other maladies.

“The board did a very important thing here today,” said Justin Hayes, program director of the Idaho Conservation League, an environmental group that asked the board not to participate in the federal program. “They recognized how important dealing with mercury is to protect human health, and they did it in a very artful way.”

The battle over coal-fired power plants in Idaho is centered in the southern part of the state. A California company wanted to build a $1.4 billion plant in Jerome County, while another company sought approval to build a coal-gasification plant near Pocatello. There are no coal-fired plants in the state now.

But Idaho environmental and business groups cite an existing problem of mercury in nine lakes, including Lake Coeur d’Alene, Lake Pend Orielle and Priest Lake.

The state Department of Health and Welfare has issued a warning cautioning children and pregnant women to avoid eating fish from those lakes. The agency said mercury levels in those fish pose a hazard to unborn or small children.

Some scientists believe mercury pollution comes from Nevada-based mines and coal-fired plants in all states surrounding Idaho.

Avista Corp. representatives opposed the decision and said getting out of the federal program will mean companies like it would be banned from building coal-fired plants, which are relatively cheap to run and would serve as a needed power supply for people moving to the state.

The Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry also asked the board to deny the petition because its constituents want more energy source options that could bring more jobs to the state, group officials said. “The issue is will our energy be produced in Idaho, or will we continue to depend on other states?” said Dick Rush, the association’s vice president of natural resources.

The board’s vote Thursday also directs the state Department of Environmental Quality to begin writing a proposal that creates an Idaho-specific mercury emissions rule. That would give the state the option of participating in the federal program later.

Risch visited Thursday’s board meeting and asked members not to take action until he had time to make a final decision on the federal program in late August or early September.

But DEQ director Toni Hardesty told board members their decision did fall in line with the governor’s timetable. The temporary policy would need to be signed by Risch by Aug. 23. That would allow the public to comment before the board addresses the permanent state rule at its October meeting.