Delaware News

Delaware announces settlement to reduce mercury air pollution from cement plants

Civil Division | Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Friday, January 16, 2009



The Delaware Department of Justice today announced today that it has reached a
settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requiring new limits on the
emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from cement plants. The EPA’s new rules will address
mercury and other toxic emissions from Portland cement plants nationwide. Portland cement is the
most common type of cement and a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and grout. Delaware
joined eight other states in today’s agreement.

“With today’s agreement, the EPA has committed to take appropriate measures to reduce
hazardous pollution that harms the environment and poses a risk to health”, stated State Solicitor
Lawrence Lewis.

In February 2007, a coalition of states including Delaware, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against the EPA
for adopting air emission standards for cement plants that did not adequately control mercury and other
hazardous air pollutants. The suit, Portland Cement Association v. EPA, argued that the EPA had not
based emission standards for these plants on state-of-the-art pollution control technology, in violation
of the Clean Air Act.

Today’s settlement requires EPA to propose new standards for mercury and other hazardous air
pollutant emissions from cement plants by March 31, 2009 and to adopt final standards by March 31,
2010 after taking public comment. As required by the Clean Air Act, the Agency must require the
maximum available pollution control technology in setting these standards.

Today’s settlement will go into effect after the EPA publishes it in the Federal Register and
provides an opportunity for notice and comment. Several environmental groups joined the states in
today’s settlement, including the Friends of Hudson, Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, Desert Citizens
Against Pollution, Downwinders At Risk, Huron Environmental Activist League, and Montanans
Against Toxic Burning. Portland Cement Association, an industry group, also signed the settlement.
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Delaware announces settlement to reduce mercury air pollution from cement plants

Civil Division | Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Date Posted: Friday, January 16, 2009



The Delaware Department of Justice today announced today that it has reached a
settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requiring new limits on the
emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from cement plants. The EPA’s new rules will address
mercury and other toxic emissions from Portland cement plants nationwide. Portland cement is the
most common type of cement and a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and grout. Delaware
joined eight other states in today’s agreement.

“With today’s agreement, the EPA has committed to take appropriate measures to reduce
hazardous pollution that harms the environment and poses a risk to health”, stated State Solicitor
Lawrence Lewis.

In February 2007, a coalition of states including Delaware, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against the EPA
for adopting air emission standards for cement plants that did not adequately control mercury and other
hazardous air pollutants. The suit, Portland Cement Association v. EPA, argued that the EPA had not
based emission standards for these plants on state-of-the-art pollution control technology, in violation
of the Clean Air Act.

Today’s settlement requires EPA to propose new standards for mercury and other hazardous air
pollutant emissions from cement plants by March 31, 2009 and to adopt final standards by March 31,
2010 after taking public comment. As required by the Clean Air Act, the Agency must require the
maximum available pollution control technology in setting these standards.

Today’s settlement will go into effect after the EPA publishes it in the Federal Register and
provides an opportunity for notice and comment. Several environmental groups joined the states in
today’s settlement, including the Friends of Hudson, Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, Desert Citizens
Against Pollution, Downwinders At Risk, Huron Environmental Activist League, and Montanans
Against Toxic Burning. Portland Cement Association, an industry group, also signed the settlement.
###

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.