Court raps EPA rules on mercury - By Sandy Bauers and John Shiffman, Philadelphia Inquirer
The lawsuit, arguing that the EPA violated the Clean Air Act, was filed by New Jersey and included 14 other states, including Pennsylvania, and various environmental organizations.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the commonwealth is second in the country (behind Texas) for mercury pollution from power plants.
Cap-and-trade is a way to use the market to control pollution. If plants that don't meet standards don't want to purchase new equipment, they can purchase credits from others that are below the emissions targets.
In late 2006, Pennsylvania disallowed cap-and-trade and required all power plants to reduce their mercury emissions by 90 percent by 2015.
Critics say the approach is wrong-headed when it comes to mercury, because studies have shown that the greatest deposits of mercury remain in 'hot spots' in the immediate area of a power plant.
' . . . You're not doing anything to help the people who live around that plant,' said Ron Ruman, DEP spokesman.