Wisconsin's Mercury Rule and Revisions

The mercury rule was revised in 2008. Links to supporting documents related to the Board's action are listed below.

Rule Summary

90% reduction by 2015: Under the proposed mercury rule, large coal-fired power plants must either meet a 90% mercury emission reduction or limit the concentration of mercury emissions to 0.0080 pounds of mercury per gigawatt-hour by January 1, 2015.

Multi-pollutant option: Large coal-fired power plants also have the option of choosing a multi-pollutant alternative. The multi-pollutant alternative requires the affected power plants to achieve nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) reductions beyond those currently required by federal and state regulations. Under the multi-pollutant approach, an additional six years is allowed to achieve the 90% mercury emission reduction standard. Further, under that option, interim mercury reduction provisions are established. The affected power plants must meet either a 70% mercury emission reduction or a mercury emission concentration of 0.0190 pounds per gigawatt-hour by January 1, 2015. Beginning January 1, 2018, an 80% mercury emission reduction or an emission concentration limit of 0.0130 pounds of mercury per gigawatt-hour must be achieved. By January 1, 2021, a 90% mercury emission reduction or an emission concentration limit of 0.0080 pounds of mercury per gigawatt-hour is required.

Mercury Rule Factsheet

Assembly Committee on Natural Resources Public Hearing - August 20, 2008

  1. Secretary Frank's testimony
  2. Recording of the hearing on Wisconsin Eye [Exit DNR].

Public Health & Welfare Briefing

  1. Briefing green sheet [PDF 21KB]
  2. March 2008 Preliminary Public Health and Welfare Finding
  3. June 2008 Finding Addendum [PDF 135KB]

Proposed Mercury Rule Adoption

  1. Adoption Green Sheet [PDF 21KB]
  2. Background Memo [PDF 67KB]
  3. Attachment A -  March 2007 Proposed Revisions to Chapter NR 446, Control of Mercury Emissions - Public Comment Summary [PDF 26KB]
  4. Attachment B - Response to Public Comment - March 2008 Proposed Revisions to Chapter NR 446, Control of Mercury Emissions [PDF 116KB]
  5. Fiscal Estimate [PDF 383KB]
  6. Board Order AM-32-05 [PDF 217KB]
  7. Unofficial clean copy - How ch. NR 446 would read based on the proposed changes in Board Order AM-32-05 [PDF 345KB]

Downloads of DNR Board Presentations given on June 25, 2008

  1. Jon Heinrich - NRB Presentation on the Finding That a Mercury Rule is Needed to Protect Public Health [160KB]
  2. Jon Heinrich - NRB Presentation on the Proposed Mercury Rule - NR 446 [329KB]
  3. Larry Bruss presentation: Do Wisconsin Power Plants Significantly Contribute to Mercury Deposition in Wisconsin? [PDF 48KB]
  4. James Schauer, Ph.D., presentation: Scientific Issues and Findings Concerning Atmospheric Mercury in Wisconsin [PDF 291KB]

 

DNR Public Hearing

A public hearing was held April 7, 2008 in Madison. The period for submitting written comments ended May 5, 2008.
  1. Public hearing notice [PDF 22KB]
  2. Fiscal estimate [PDF 106KB]
  3. Proposed March 2008 rule: Natural Resources Board Order AM-32-05 [PDF 192KB]
  4. Mercury finding pursuant to section 285.27(2)(b), Wisconsin Statutes
  5. Fact sheet - Proposed rules [PDF 24KB]
  6. Fact sheet - Finding [PDF 26KB]
  7. DRAFT clean copy of Ch. NR 446 as it would read based on changes in Natural Resources Board Order AM 32-05 [PDF 201KB]
  8. Flowchart: Timeline for Mercury Reduction Rule [PDF 20KB]
  9. Congressional Research Service Report to Congress Explaining the D.C. Circuit Court Decision (February 8, 2008) Vacating the Federal Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) [PDF 69KB]
  10. Press release: DNR seeks comment on mercury reduction air rules
  11. Public comments on the rule revisions

|| Additional background on rule revision and existing state mercury rule || Mercury and Coal-Fired Power Plants || Air Management ||

Last Reviewed: June 17, 2008
Next Review: June 17, 2009
Last Revised: Thursday June 04 2009