City of Chicago

Richard M . Daley, Mayor

Department of Environment

Sadhu A . Johnston

Commissioner

Twenty-fifth Floor

30 North LaSalle Street

('hicago, Illinois 60602-2575

(312) 744-7606 (Voice)

(312) 744-6451 (FAX)

(312) 744-3586 (TTY)

h ttp://www .cityofchicago .or g

June 12, 2006

RECEIVED

CLERK'S OFFICE

Illinois Pollution Control Board

JUN I

Z' 2006

James Thompson Center

100 W

. Randolph, Suite 11-500

Pollution Control Board

Chicago, Illinois 60601

Dear IPCB Commissioners

:

STATE OF ILLINOIS

I am writing in support of the efforts of Governor Blagojevich and the Illinois

Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to reduce mercury emissions from

coal-fired power plants in the state by ninety percent (90%) by June 30, 2009

.

Each year, coal-fired power plants and other industrial facilities emit tons of

mercury into the air . This pollution settles into our rivers and waterways and

gradually accumulates in fish. Eating fish contaminated with mercury, a poison

that interferes with the brain and nervous system, can cause serious health

problems, especially for children and pregnant women .

A July 2005 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

concluded that many women of child bearing age have mercury in their blood

at levels that could pose a risk to developing fetuses . Illinois Department of

Public Health has issued advisories warning people to limit their consumption

of fish caught in lake Michigan and other rivers in the state . As a result many

people are hesitant to eat fish at all, thereby depriving themselves of a major

source of nutrients

.

Since coal-fired plants in Illinois are the single largest stationary source of

mercury emissions, more than all other human activity combined, reducing

their emissions would reduce our citizens' risk of mercury contamination

.

Fortunately, there are affordable and readily available technologies that can

capture and reduce mercury emissions

.

RE: PROPOSED IEPA MERCURY EMISSIONS REDUCTION RULE \~

So, on behalf of the city of Chicago, and for the sake of the entire citizenry of

the state, I hereby urge you to seize this opportunity to reduce the dangers

posed by mercury contamination by approving the new IEPA mercury rule

.

Sincerely,

Sadhu A. Johnston

Commissioner