Pollution Control Board

James R. Thompson Center

100 W

. Randolph, Suite 11-500

Chicago, IL 60601

I urge members of the Ill

. Pollution Control Board to approve the Governor's proposal to

limit mercury emissions from coal fired plants to an average of 90% for each company

by 2009

. 1 also support the provision to disallow mercury credit trading, since Southern

Illinois and the Chicago area are already "hotspots" for mercury pollution

. Six of the top

15 lakes and streams on the restricted mercury advisory are in southernmost Illinois

.

Studies done in Mass

., where mercury emissions have been greatly reduced, have shown

that mercury levels in fish are lowered when mercury pollution from coal burning is

decreased

. The latest nationwide study done by Sierra Club indicates that

as many as I

out of 4 women of child bearing age have so much mercury in their bodies that their

children are in danger of birth defects, mental retardation and learning disabilities

. In

addition, high mercury levels have been associated with an increased number of heart

attacks in adults .

Wildlife is also affected by mercury at levels less than half the level shown to affect

humans, resulting in less success in spawning, nesting and survival to adulthood

.

Besides the warnings to limit consumption of predator fish, hunters are now being

warned to limit consumption of wild ducks

. Our family does not even feel free to enjoy

eating fish from our backyard lake as

much as we used to because it is reasonable to

assume that the bass and crappie and cat fish have high concentrations of mercury, since

all around us are reports of highly polluted fish with mercury

. The technology to capture

90% of the mercury from burning coal is already available and cost effective

. I am

certainly willing to pay the estimated $1

.50 per month to protect Illinois' children, adults

and wildlife from mercury pollution

.

ORIGINAL

PATRICIA PEAK

8344 E. Twin Oaks Drive

Effingham, IL 62401

217-868-2755

Fax 217-868-2310

May 1, 2006

Attention

: Mercury Docket Rule

RECEIVED

CLERKS OFFICE

MAY

-

2006

Pollution

STATE OF

Control

ILLINOISBoard

~R-dG

_a-S

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