HomeMy WebLinkAboutresolution.council.125-04RESOLUTION# [~]x~
(Series of 2004)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO, OPPOSING
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S (EPA'S) REDUCTION IN MERCURY
EMISSIONS STANDARDS FOR COAL BURNING POWER PLANTS AND URING THE EPA TO
ABIDE BY ITS COMMITMENT TO CONSIDER ALL OPTIONS TO REDUCE MERCURY
EMISSIONS
WHEREAS, The Aspen City Council cites coal-burning power plants to be the largest source of
mercury air emissions in the United States, and is concerned about the harmful effects on Aspen's and the
country's residents of eating fish contaminated with mercury from power plant emissions, and
WHEREAS, The EPA's own scientists estimate that one in six women of childbearing age in the
U.S. has high levels of mercury in her blood, putting 630,000 of the four million babies born each year at
risk of health problems due to mercury exposure, and
WHEREAS, existing technologies could achieve a 90% reduction in mercury emissions from
power plants, thus more effectively protecting the public health, and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Aspen wrote the EPA in June 2004, strongly
supporting stricter mercury emissions requirements for coal-fired power plants, and
WHEREAS, to not require coal burning power plants that contribute to global warming to bear the
full costs of producing power in a manner to protect the public health is damaging to Aspen's and the
country's economies and environment,
WHEREAS, The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued fish
advisories urging residents to limit their consumption of fish, including fish caught in certain Colorado
waters,
WHEREAS, the EPA promised to conduct further analyses of greater mercury controls and that
these would be available for public review, but has now announced that such studies will not be done and
that no stricter emissions controls will be considered,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN,
COLORADO:
The City Council of the City of Aspen hereby opposes the reduced memury emissions standards in
the EPA's proposed rule; urges the EPA to undertake studies promised by its Administrator; and urges the
EPA to require maximum achievable control technologies for mereury emlssio~ ~_.l]~n~plant~.
Dated: ~ -/% '=~7~
I, Kathryn S. Koch, duly appointed and acting City Clerk do certify that the foregoing is a true and
accurs~te c~opy of ~at resolution adopted by the City Council of the city of As~en, Colorado, at a meetin~
hel~ d~., 2004. ·
Kathryn S. Ko~, City (21erk
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