Every year, coal-fired power plants produce more than 386,000 tons of hazardous air pollutants -- including mercury, arsenic, lead and acid gases. Mercury, a potent neurotoxin, is a particular threat to pregnant women and young children.
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced plans to issue strong, sensible protections from power plant pollution on December 16th of this year. Unfortunately, industry special interests are trying to block this critical safeguard.
Tell President Obama to strongly support the EPA's efforts to clean up mercury pollution and protect the health of mothers, children and families.
SUBJECT: Get Us Across the Finish Line -- Protect Our Families From Toxic Mercury
Dear President Obama,
Every year, coal-fired power plants produce more than 386,000 tons of hazardous air pollutants -- including mercury, arsenic, lead and acid gases. Mercury, a potent neurotoxin, is a particular threat to pregnant women and young children.
Exposure to mercury in utero can contribute to birth defects including neurological and developmental disorders, learning disabilities, delayed onset of walking and talking and cerebral palsy. Alarmingly, at least 1 in 12 -- and as many as 1 in 6 -- American women have enough mercury in their bodies to put a baby at risk. That means that
more than 300,000 babies are born each year at risk or mercury poisoning.
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The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed public health protections to clean up mercury and other dangerous pollutants from coal and oil-fired power plants. Unfortunately, Big Coal and Big Oil, along with their conservative allies in Congress, are trying to block these life-saving efforts.
Americans have waited too long for this commonsense safeguard. I urge you to stand strong against corporate special interests and issue the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard for Power Plants this year!
