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WaterNews for October 1, 1998WaterNews is a weekly on-line publication that announces publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water. Inside this week's WaterNews: 1) EPA Testifies on the Impacts of Mercury ExposureToday, William Farland, Director of the National Center for Environmental Assessment of EPA testified before the Subcommittee on Clean Air, Wetlands, Private Properties and Nuclear Safety of the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the US Senate. The focus of the testimony revolved around scientific issues in assessing health and ecological impacts of mercury exposure. Among those issues, Farland summarized information about mercury emissions, deposition, health effects, control techniques, areas that need additional research, and actions underway to address mercury pollution. From previous studies, EPA estimates that roughly 87% of anthropogenic mercury emissions come from the combustion of waste and fossil fuels and suggest that about one-third of those emissions are deposited, through wet and dry deposition, within the contiguous 48 states. Further studies are being conducted to understand the full effects of mercury exposure, but scientists do agree that fish consumption dominates the pathway for human and wildlife exposure to methylmercury. The need for mercury research is specifically identified in the President's Clean Water Action Plan. As a result, EPA is preparing a comprehensive, multi-year strategy for mercury research addressing the most pressing environmental needs. To view the testimony in full, visit the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations' Website at http://www.epa.gov/ocir/testimony/100198wf.htm. 2) EPA Air Quality Rule Will Reduce Water PollutionOn September 24, EPA finalized the "NOx SIP Call" rule, which requires 22 eastern states and the District of Columbia to prepare State implementation plans (SIPs) to reduce nitrogen oxides (a precursor to ozone formation known as NOx) emissions from sources such as coal-fired utilities. This rule will address regional transport of ground-level ozone. Nitrogen loading in coastal waters is responsible for excessive algal growth, which causes reduced levels of oxygen and light which can harm fish, shellfish, aquatic vegetation and coral reefs. Furthermore, outbreaks of Pfiesteria, a toxic organism, have been associated with excessive nutrient loadings (i.e., nitrogen and phosphorus) in coastal waters. The reductions expected from the rule will significantly reduce nitrogen loadings into eastern coastal waters and portions of western Florida. By 2007, EPA estimates the NOx reductions achieved will prevent 40 million pounds per year of nitrogen from being deposited in coastal areas. By reducing the amount of nitrogen deposited from the air, states and localities will be able to save $237 million annually that would have otherwise been spent on other controls to meet their nitrogen reduction goals (e.g., stormwater controls for urban and agricultural runoff). For more information on the "NOx SIP Call" rule, visit the Office of Air's Website at http://www.epa.gov/oar/noxsip.html. Please forward this message to your friends and colleagues who share an interest in water-related issues and would like to hear from EPA's Office of Water. To subscribe to the WaterNews listserve:
A welcome message will appear in your email box once you are officially subscribed. WaterNews will be sent to you at the end of each week. If you encounter difficulties subscribing to this list server or if you would like to be taken off the WaterNews list server at any time, please send your E-mail address to Gloria Posey at Posey.Gloria@epa.gov.
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