Pennsylvania clergy attack mercury pollution
Share with others:
PHILADELPHIA -- First, Rabbi Daniel Swartz leaned toward the microphone at Tuesday's hearing on proposed federal rules to limit mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants.
By allowing emissions to continue, "we have, in effect, subsidized the poisoning of fetuses and children," the Scranton rabbi said.
Later came the Rev. Mitchell Hescox, president of the Evangelical Environmental Network, a national ministry. "We are hindering children from an abundant life ... because we failed to clean up this terrible poison," he said.
By the time Joy Bergey of the Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church spoke, Rob Brenner, the Environmental Protection Agency's hearing officer, was curious.
Of all the rules he's worked on, he said, the religious and social justice communities have shown the most interested in the mercury rule. Why?
"Because of the fact that it's such clear science," said Ms. Bergey, who also is an environmental lobbyist. "This hurts babies. This hurts children. It is so clearly a question of moral responsibility."
Tuesday's hearing in Philadelphia was one of three nationwide this week.
"The American public has the right to clean air and clean water," said Delaware County's Robin Mann, Sierra Club national president.
"Currently, our air remains a waste dump," said Walter Tsou, of Philadelphia Physicians for Social Responsibility. "We're asking that all power plants comply with some common sense precautions ... if you're going to burn coal or fossil fuels, use the best technology to prevent polluting the air."
"We must recognize that the effects of harmful air emissions ripple all the way to the most vulnerable members of our society," said Poune Saberi, a family medicine physician at the University of Pennsylvania.
Coal power is dominant in Pennsylvania, which has more than three dozen plants, and the state ranks high nationally for mercury emissions.
First Published May 25, 2011 12:00 am
