Mercury Green Tier Charter for Environmental Performance
Green Tier - Charter

Under the Mercury Green Tier Charter for Environmental Performance municipalities are reducing mercury discharges into their wastewater treatment plants before they have a regulatory requirement to do so. In exchange the municipalities are offered certainty that mercury reduction activities conducted now will satisfy mercury reduction obligations that might apply at a future date. Municipalities participating in the charter reduce mercury releases to Wisconsin's environment earlier and more efficiently than would have occurred by regulation alone. It is anticipated that most municipalities participating in the Charter will be mid-sized communities with wastewater treatment plant flows between one and five million gallons per day. Fifteen municipalities signed the charter during the initial subscription period that ended June 30, 2008. Additional municipalities may join the charter beginning January 1, 2009.

Local mercury reduction activities are conducted in a plan-do-check-act sequence of steps consistent with an environmental management system for the pollutant mercury. Community programs encourage flexibility and innovation but will also comply with DNR guidance on municipal mercury reduction. Mercury reduction activities implemented under the Charter will decrease mercury product use, and increase mercury product recycling, by those sectors of the community that have historically used mercury-containing products: hospitals, dental offices, schools, and certain industries. Annual reports of mercury reduction progress will be provided by both the participating municipalities and by DNR.

Reports

Charter

Charter For Superior Environmental Performance With the Municipal Environmental Group (MEG) [PDF 77KB] Posted February 28, 2008

Public Notices/Press Releases

New Green Tier Charter Encourages Mercury Reduction Efforts by Municipalities {PDF 841KB] CSWEA Summer 2008
Communities Tackle Mercury Pollution [AUDIO 1:33] wpr.org March 10, 2008
New Green Tier Charter Encourages Mercury Reduction Efforts by Municipalities [PDF 22KB] Posted February 28, 2008

Photos taken during the Green Tier Signing
February 28, 2008

Select an image to go to the photo gallery

Charter Participants

City of Beaver Dam
City of Burlington
City of Cedarburg
City of Fort Atkinson
City of Hudson
Village of Jackson
City of Janesville
City of Jefferson
City of Marshfield

City of Medford
Village of Plover
City of Portage
City of Prairie du Chien
City of Rice Lake
City of River Falls
City of Sparta
City of Stevens Point
City of Stoughton

City of Sun Prairie
City of Superior
City of Waupun
Western Racine County Sewerage District
City of Whitewater
Village of Whiting
WisDells-LakeDelton Sewerage District
City of Wisconsin Rapids

Video

Mercury Vapor Video [Exit DNR]

Archived Material

Draft Charter For Superior Environmental Performance With the Municipal Environmental Group (MEG) [PDF 37KB] Posted January 10, 2008
Public Notice on a Proposed Green Tier Charter and a Public Hearing [PDF 13KB] Posted January 10, 2008
Mercury Charter - Response to Public Comments [PDF 16KB]

DNR Contacts	Charter Contact
Mark Harings WCR Service Center 1300 W Clairemont, Box 4001 Eau Claire, WI 54702-4001 Mark.Harings@wisconsin.gov (715) 831-3263 (715) 839-6076 or 1605 Fax	Julie Baldwin, Attorney Anderson & Kent, S.C. 1 N. Pinckney Street, Suite 200 Madison, WI 53703 jbaldwin@andersonkent.com (608) 246-8500 (608) 246-8511 Fax
Charles Schuler 101 S Webster Street - WT/3 Madison WI 53703 charles.schuler@wisconsin.gov (608) 267-7631 (608) 267-2800 Fax

Last Revised: Tuesday September 22 2009

Mercury Green Tier Charter for Environmental Performance Green Tier - Charter