Said Committe Chair Richard Pombo (R-CA), "It is clear that some
special interest groups [read: environmental and public health
organizations] are crying wolf."

Among the groups apparently crying wolf are the National Academy
of Sciences (NAS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDC) and
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)--all of whom have
published science-based studies citing the danger of mercury
exposure either through consumption of certain fish, or
pollution generated by coal-fired power plants.

Especially at risk are pregnant women, women of child-bearing
age, and young children.

The Clinton Administration proposed an aggressive reduction of
mercury emissions from coal-fired plants, reducing emissions by
as much as 90 percent starting in 2008. The plan would require
the installation of the best available pollution control
technology.

In contrast, the Bush EPA has proposed a cap-and-trade program
requiring smaller and slower reductions. It would reduce
emissions by 70 percent starting in 2018.

Under a court agreement with the Natural Resources Defense
Council (NRDC), EPA is to issue its new rule by March 15. Noting
that the House committee report was written by Republican
staffers rather than scientists, John Walke, NRDC's director of
clean air, calls the report "a preemptive strike" with "wildly
off-base claims about mercury just to make EPA's abominable rule
look good by comparison."

Walke notes that the House report repeatedly references
industry-funded groups such as the Edison Electric Institute and
the Electric Power Research Institute.

"The owners of coal-fired plants don't want to reduce mercury
emissions. They actually want to increase the size of their
plants" said Steven Gilbert, author of "A Small Dose of
Toxicology."

Environmentalists dismiss industry claims that installing the
newest and best pollution controls would be too costly. They
assert that the economic benefits of curbing emissions would
greatly outweigh those expenditures, via reduced medical costs
for those affected by exposure, higher demand for fish once they
are deemed safe again, and revitalized tourism at fishing
destinations.

Indeed, recent technological advances in response to newly
implemented state regulations have already reduced the cost of
these improvements. The FDA, and at least 45 state agencies,
have released health advisories warning of dangerous mercury
contamination in certain species of fish.

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This story was jointly produced by BushGreenwatch and Grist
Magazine. For more on this story, visit Grist Magazine.