| Mercury Reduction In 1999 the State Legislature
passed a law, Chapter 519 "Interim Effluent Limitations and Control for the
Discharge of Mercury". The purpose of the rule is to control the discharge
of mercury to the surface waters of the State through implementation of
pollution prevention plans, effluent testing requirements and establishment of
interim effluent limits for some licensees.
The Maine Department of Environmental protection has been given the
responsibility of implementing this program and they in turn have mandated that
all licensed discharges in the State test for mercury and develop a pollution
prevention plan.
The staff of the Brewer Water Pollution Control Facility (BWPCF) has a license
to discharge to the Penobscot River therefore is responsible for the mercury
program in the City of Brewer.
The BWPCF staff is currently developing a pollution prevention program and has
already completed numerous mercury sampling events. As part of our mercury
reduction strategy, the City plan will include not only mercury reduction in
wastewater, but also will include programs for mercury reduction City wide.
Once the written pollution prevention program is complete, a mercury reduction
team will be meeting to set the City's goals and objectives. We will report the
City's goals and objectives in the next Community Newsletter, the Brewer Beacon
and we will be asking Brewer citizens to help reduce or eliminate sources of
mercury in the City.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions
please call Ken Locke or Lou Colburn at 989-5417.
The Brewer Beacon,
Spring 2000, Volume 1.1. |
