When you drink the water or eat fish from Lake Michigan, do you think about the damage that may occur to your brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and immune system from mercury poisoning (World Health Association)? Unless national and state regulations are strengthened and enforced today, our children and grandchildren will be affected by the rising level of mercury in Lake Michigan from industrial discharges and airborne releases from power plants.

In 2007 the EPA set a threshold for mercury in wastewater discharge at 1.3 parts per trillion (ppt). As recently as 2013 the BP oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana, was discharging mercury at 23.1 ppt, thanks to lax Indiana regulators, according to the Chicago Tribune. In September 2014, the legal threshold level was reduced by the state of Indiana regulators to 8.75 ppt during BP’s permit renewal process. This continues to be far above the EPA’s limit for safe drinking water.

Coal-fired power plant emissions were required to be reduced this year; however, the industry fought the required reduction based on “cost-benefit analysis” and won their case in the Supreme Court by a 5-4 decision. In other words, the court felt it would be too costly for a multi-billion dollar a year industry to retrofit their plants to control mercury emissions that can cause human suffering and environmental damage. What is the cost-benefit analysis to individuals, families, their health and the health of the environment, both now and for future generations?

Our health and the health of our economy depend on Lake Michigan. The health of our water supply depends on us all being vigilant. Without clean water there is no life.

For more information, to become actively involved or to sign a petition, please visit: savegreatlakemichigan.blogspot.com; savegreatlakemichigan on Facebook; or petitions.moveon.org/sign/lake-michigan-mercury.

 

Anne Tenerelli

St. Joseph