Ohio rain shows some of the highest levels in the Midwest

National Wildlife Federation

March 23, 2004
Ohio City, Cleveland, OH - Rain falling in Cleveland contains mercury levels up to 31 times higher than the mercury levels EPA considers safe in the waters of the Great Lakes, jeopardizing the health of people and wildlife, according to a new report issued today by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). The average levels observed were 8 times the EPA standard - the highest average level NWF has observed anywhere in the Midwest.

"These results completely reverse what we think about rain," said Zoe Lipman, of NWF's Great Lakes Office. "The monitoring we've done in Cleveland shows levels of mercury in rain that far exceed what EPA considers to be safe in the waters of Lake Erie. So instead of cleaning Lake Erie, the rain is contaminating it."

The pollution in rain comes from mercury air pollution from coal-fired power plants and other industries. "In order to protect our health, the health of the Great Lakes, and the health of Ohio's fishing and tourism industries, all of which depend upon clean water, we need to phase out mercury pollution. Fortunately, ending mercury pollution is something we know how to do, but we need to act now."

"This report underscores how serious a problem mercury pollution is for residents of the Ohio, and those across the Midwest," said Stuart Greenberg of Cleveland-based Environmental Health Watch, "We have to go beyond warning people about mercury. Ohio needs to implement a comprehensive mercury phaseout. Enacting legislation that substantially lowers the amount of mercury industry can emit is a critical step toward our goal. We also need to phase out the manufacture and use of mercury containing products. To protect the health of our state and our citizens, we must do better."

"Mercury has a grave impact on the health of our rivers and streams," said Larry Mitchell, President of the League of Ohio Sportsmen. "Mercury contamination in Ohio is so widespread that the state has issued a fish advisory warning people to limit their consumption of sport fish from any water body in the state to no more than one meal a week. Just this year, the Ohio EPA added numerous new rivers and lakes to its list of waterways where the fish should be eaten no more once a month or once every two months. Over a million Ohioans fish and they contribute $762 million to the state's economy every year. We shouldn't have to tell our kids they have to throw the big fish back - we want to end the mercury threat to our fisheries and our families."

The monitoring research sponsored by NWF measured mercury concentration in rain samples collected between October 21 and December 11, 2003 in Cleveland. The average level of mercury in the samples was nearly 8 times the EPA safe level for surface waters. The highest level was 31 times the EPA standard and even the lowest level measured was nearly double the standard. The research follows sampling done by NWF (and others) in Minnesota, Michigan Wisconsin, and Illinois - all showing elevated mercury levels.

"This is the first mercury in rain data to be reported for Ohio, and I was shocked to find such high mercury levels, right here in our neighborhood", said Chris Trepal, of the Earth Day Coalition. "Many people in this community go fishing ,and rely on fish as an important part of their diet and their culture. People are concerned when they hear about the fish consumption advisories, but even more concerned that we are not taking all the steps we can to solve the problem at the source."

"Mercury is a dangerous toxin," said Jennifer Lenhart of the Sierra Club. "Drawing on the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control, EPA researchers recently calculated that one in six American women of childbearing age has mercury levels in their blood above the levels considered safe for the developing fetus. This means approximately 24,000 babies in Ohio are born every year at risk of neurological damage due to mercury exposure. As an expectant mom, I find these statistics very worrying. We know what needs to be done to clean up mercury pollution in Ohio and nationwide, and we need to do it - not just to protect our children, but to protect the Great Lakes, so that our kids will have a different story to tell their children."

"Coal-fired power plants are the number one source of mercury air emissions in Ohio and in the US," Lipman added. "To protect people and wildlife, the state needs to make sure that the best modern pollution control equipment is used and make greater efforts to support clean energy sources and energy conservation measures. Ohio is one of the leaders in developing and testing the technology needed to meet the mercury reduction challenge - so in Ohio, strong mercury rules are not just good for the environment and public health, they're good for our economy."

"Current federal proposals to limit mercury from coal plants do not go nearly far enough," said Marnie Urso of the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. "Instead of the strong 90% controls required of other emitting industries, the USEPA proposals would let plants continue to emit high levels of mercury for decades to come. The rule would also allow individual plants to have ongoing high emissions (and contribute to local mercury 'hotspots') - in return for reductions taken elsewhere."

"This proposal is a very bad deal for states like Ohio which have many plants located right in our communities and on our lakes and rivers," continued David Wright, of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center. "Ohioans need to let the US EPA and their leaders know that they want to see the Federal Government to set much more stringent mercury emissions limits for power plants. Strong federal mercury control requirements nationally will make it easier for Ohio to achieve the level of mercury reduction in this state necessary to protect the public health and our environment."

Wright continued, "Mercury levels in rain are not dangerous to those who drink rainwater or get it on their skin; the harm occurs when mercury becomes increasingly concentrated as it moves up the food chain in the fish people and wildlife eat. Ohio is an important part of the unique Great Lakes Ecosystem, and eliminating mercury pollution is a step we can and should take to protect this resource for future generations."

Through its Clean the Rain Campaign, NWF works with coalitions of organizations - like the Northeast Ohio Mercury Collaborative - to advocate for phaseouts of mercury pollution at a state and federal level.

Protecting wildlife through education and action since 1936, the National Wildlife Federation is America's conservation organization creating solutions that balance the needs of people and wildlife now and for future generations.

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