Mercury in the Four Corners

An article last week in the Durango Herald reported that the Four Corners Air Quality Task Force is working to address mercury pollution released from power plants and other factories in the region. The Task Force is apparently looking into whether mercury emissions in the air are leading to mercury contamination of local reservoirs and other water bodies.

The article, however, points to a fundamental dilemma facing the Task Force: that Colorado has no restrictions on mercury emissions and that federal regulations actually allow more mercury pollution than what already exists.

Mercury is a serious threat to the health of our communities, especially to children and pregnant mothers. There are 11 waterbodies in Colorado with fish consumption advisories related to mercury contamination. The most recent advisory was posted June 30 for lakes in the Denver metro area.

The state is actually moving forward to adopt the federal regulations that allow for more mercury pollution. More information is on their website. Colorado needs to step up to reduce mercury pollution from power plants and factories, not allow our environment to be poisoned even more. Our children's future depends on it.