Mercury Reduction Options for Public Comment

Clean Air Mercury Rule – Wisconsin DNR Mercury Reduction Options for Public Comment April 2007 The Natural Resources Board at their March 28, 2007, meeting authorized the Department to hold public hearings on proposed rule revisions related to reducing mercury air emission from coal-fired electricity generation. These revisions, Board Order No. AM-32-05, would allow the Department to implement the federal Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) in Wisconsin and include the following significant provisions: • Revisions to Chapter NR 440 that adopt the federal New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) requiring mercury emission control technology on coal-fired electric utility steam generating units that are constructed or reconstructed after January 30, 2004. • Revisions to Chapter NR 446 that repeal certain existing state provisions and instead require each utility with new and existing coal-fired electrical generating units to meet an annual emission cap determined from the state mercury emission budget EPA set for Wisconsin under the CAMR. • A provision that requires the Department to adopt rules by June 30, 2010, that would require all coal-fired electrical steam generating units affected by the CAMR to reduce their mercury emissions by 90% by January 1, 2020. These provisions are hereinafter referred to as “Option 1.” Option 1 is the Department’s primary proposal and is the only alternative that has been fully developed with specific rule language. ...