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State could set example on mercuryI LEARNED about the problem of mercury in seafood at Salem State College while doing an internship with MassPIRG ("2 agencies urge limit on eating tuna," Page A1, March 20). Power plants, especially those that burn coal, are the largest single source of mercury pollution in the country.
There is a large coal-burning power plant in Salem fairly close to the college. Exposure to mercury during brain development can lead to problems ranging from learning disabilities to autism. As a student with nonverbal-based learning disabilities, it pains me to think of another child having to bear this burden unnecessarily. Right now technology exists to reduce mercury emissions 90 percent by 2008. President Bush's Clear Skies Initiative would weaken the policies of the Clean Air Act, sacrificing our children's futures for industrial profit. In Massachusetts, the Department of Environmental Protection is finalizing regulations that would reduce emissions in Massachusetts. It is essential that they do so promptly, and without a loophole that would allow for off-site credits trading. We have the opportunity to set a model for the rest of the country and send the message that we are not willing to trade away our children's futures. JON DAVIDS © Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.
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