Wisconsin's Mercury Rule and Revisions

The mercury rule revisions proposed in March 2008 were adopted by the Natural Resources Board at its meeting on June 25, 2008. Links to supporting documents related to the Board's action are listed below.

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]

 

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.

Public Hearing: March 2008 Proposed Rules and Preliminary Public Health and Welfare Finding

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: Tuesday July 01 2008