Public support for mercury standards from power plants is broad and deep. From public health organizations such as the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, and American Public Health Association, to mayors [PDF], scientists [PDF], and moms, Americans have voiced their support this rule. The League of United Latin American Citizens, NAACP, the Small Business Majority, and Consumers Union have all spoken in support of standards to limit exposure to mercury and other toxic pollution from power plants.
Many states have already established mercury controls for power plants, and have joined in defending the rule.
In addition, numerous companies have long prepared for this rule and some have stepped up to defend the rule in the courts:
“Many companies, including ours, have already invested in modern air-pollution control technologies and cleaner and more efficient power plants.”
- Peter Darbee, chairman,president and CEO, PG&E Corp.
- Jack Fusco,president and CEO, Calpine Corp.
- Lewis Hay, chairman and CEO, NextEra Energy, Inc.
- Ralph Izzo, chairman, president and CEO, Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc.
- Thomas King, president, National Grid USA,
- John Rowe, chairman and CEO, Exelon Corp.
- Mayo Shattuck, chairman, president and CEO, Constellation Energy Group
- Larry Weis, general manager, Austin Energy
We applaud their wise investments in clean air and efficiency; and we thank them for defending the mercury rules in the courts.
CLEAN AIR CHAMPIONS: POWER COMPANIES THAT ARE DEFENDING THE MERCURY AND AIR TOXICS STANDARDS IN THE COURTS
- PG&E: Natural gas and electric utility, serving 5.1 million electric customers and 4.3 million natural gas customers.
- Calpine: Provides up to 29,000 MW of power across 20 states and Canada.
- NextEra: Largest generator of wind and solar power in North America.
- Public Service Enterprise Group: A large electric utility headquartered in New Jersey servicing 2.2 million electric customers and 1.8 million gas customers.
- National Grid USA: Provides electricity to 3.3 million customers in the Northeast.
- Exelon: Fifth largest electric power producer in the U.S. with operations or facilities across 47 states and D.C. and Canada.
- Constellation Energy Group: Part of Exelon, supplies energy to over one million customers in the U.S.
- Austin Energy: Publicly owned power provider in the city of Austin that was named the public utility of the year in 2012 by the Solar Electric Power Association.
Note: Moms Clean Air Force is a special project of the Environmental Defense Fund, which is one of the many organizations that have stepped up to defend the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard in the courts.
Click Here to View a Timeline: The Long Journey of the Mercury Rule
Thank you to the Environmental Defense Fund’s Pam Campos for her input on this resource.