On the recordOctober 5, 2011
In particular, mercury exposure can cause great harm to pregnant women, unborn babies, and young children by damaging their developing nervous systems, which affects children's ability to learn and to think. Additionally, mercury emissions can also damage the environment by polluting our Nation's lakes and streams and the seafood which we eat. In fact, EPA estimates that H.R. 2681 will allow for thousands of additional premature deaths and premature heart attacks, as well as tens of thousands of additional asthma attacks that could have been avoided. Mr. Chairman, the public health benefits from the reduction of air toxics emissions from cement kilns have already been delayed long enough. Now is the time. The radical Republican majority cannot keep making excuses and exceptions for the largest industrial emitters of mercury in the U.S., cement plants and industrial boilers, while over 100 other industries have already controlled their air toxic pollution.
