Mercury Emission Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-730
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2005-04-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Agriculture and Food
Air pollution control
Animals
Armed Forces and National Security
Building materials
Canada
Carbon dioxide
Chemicals
Chesapeake Bay
Child health
Coal
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Drugs
Electric appliances
Electric batteries
Electric power production
Electric utilities
Emissions trading
Energy
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental health
Environmental monitoring
Environmental research
Environmental technology
Estuaries
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Fetus
Fishes
Fishing
Florida
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Great Lakes
Groundwater
Hazardous wastes
Health
Health surveys
Health warnings
Incineration
Industrial pollution
International Affairs
International environmental cooperation
Labeling
Lakes
Latin America
Law
Licenses
Lighting
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Maternal health services
Medical supplies
Medical wastes
Mercury
Mexico
Military bases
Municipal solid waste
New York State
Nitrogen oxides
North America
Packaging
Petroleum
Pregnant women
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Recycling of waste products
Rivers
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientific instruments and apparatus
Sedimentation
Soil pollution
Sports and Recreation
Standards
Sulphur dioxide
Transboundary pollution
Vermont
Water Resources Development
Water pollution control
Watersheds
Women
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2005-04-06
text: 
Mercury Emission Act of 2005 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate regulations establishing emission limitations for mercury emissions by coal-fired electricity generating facilities. 
 
Amends the Clean Air Act (CAA) to require the Administrator to promulgate regulations establishing standards for mercury and mercury compound emissions applicable to: (1) coal- and oil-fired boiler units of a specified capacity; (2) chlor-alkali plants that use the mercury cell production process; and (3) Portland cement plants. Sets forth permit requirements. 
 
Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to direct the Administrator to publish a list of mercury-containing items to be separated and removed from waste streams feeding solid waste facilities. Requires mercury-content labeling by manufacturers of listed items. Requires persons who transfer solid waste that may contain a listed mercury-containing item to submit separation and removal plans. 
Amends the CAA to direct the Administrator to promulgate regulations concerning measurement of mercury emissions from solid waste combustion flue gases. Sets forth permit requirements. 
Prohibits, three years after this Act's enactment, the sale of mercury-containing products unless the manufacturer has been granted an exemption. 
 Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Administrator to establish an advisory committee to report on the progress made in complying with this Act's amendments to the CAA. 
Increases funding for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program Mercury Deposition Network. 
Requires various mercury-related studies and reports.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-04-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2005-04-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3312-3314)
action_date: 2005-04-06
text: Introduced in Senate