HARRISBURG -- State officials are doing a poor job of protecting citizens and wildlife from the dangers of mercury pollution, four environmental groups charged yesterday.

The National Wildlife Federation, Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, PennFuture and Clean Air Council, issued a report on mercury pollution in mid-Atlantic states that gave Pennsylvania an overall "D." It was the lowest rating in the region, which included New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware.

"This lack of action to control mercury pollution means leaving future generations of people and wildlife vulnerable to mercury's toxic effects for decades to come," said Larry Schweiger, wildlife federation president.

Since 2001, Pennsylvania has had a mercury advisory in effect regarding fish taken from the state's 53,000 miles of rivers and 160,000 acres of lakes. It warns people to limit their eating of fish from state rivers and lakes to one meal per week or less.

"Pennsylvania anglers are upset so much of the state's water is under a warning that mercury levels make locally caught trout, walleye and northern pike unsafe to eat," said Melody Zullinger of the sportsmen's federation.

Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of mercury pollution in the state, emitting nearly 8,000 pounds of mercury into the air each year, the groups said. That puts Pennsylvania utility companies third in the nation in the amount of mercury put into the environment.

Last August, PennFuture and other groups asked the state Department of Environmental Protection to begin regulating toxic mercury emissions from power plants, with a goal of reducing them.

"Mercury in our water and our food is a serious public health care issue that must be dealt with immediately," said PennFuture President John Hanger. "One in six women of childbearing age has so much mercury in her body that her nursing infant or fetus is in danger of brain damage."

DEP spokeswoman Anna Gomez agreed that mercury pollution is a "big problem," adding: "We want to take care of it."

New rules aimed at reducing power plant emissions are being considered by the Environmental Quality Board, a 20-member independent group that approves all DEP regulations. The rules may be ready this spring.

"Even though we believe that a stronger federal approach is needed, one that addresses pollution across state boundaries, we have undertaken our own internal rule-making to regulate mercury emissions from power plants," Gomez said.

Pennsylvania has taken a step toward reducing mercury pollution from another source -- switches in "convenience lights" inside cars.

In November, it began a program, working with auto scrap dealers, to remove such switches before the old cars are recycled. That way, when the vehicles are melted down, the mercury in the switches doesn't get into the air, Gomez said.

"DEP's voluntary program is an extremely important first step in protecting children from the dangers of toxic mercury," said Toni Flora of the Clean Air Council. "Legislation requiring auto manufacturers to help pay for mercury switch removals is the obvious next step."