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JOINT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO EXPRESS THE STATE'S OPPOSITION TO THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S REVISED SUPPLEMENTAL COST FINDING FOR THE MERCURY AND AIR TOXICS STANDARDS
WE, your Memorialists, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Maine now assembled in the First Regular Session, most respectfully present and petition the President of the United States as follows:
WHEREAS, under the United States Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the United States Environmental Protection Agency finalized the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards to protect air quality and promote public health by reducing emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coal-fired and oil-fired power plants; and
WHEREAS,  coal-fired power plants represent the largest source of mercury in the United States and were responsible for nearly half of all mercury emissions in 2015; and
WHEREAS,  mercury, once released into the environment, can become methylmercury, which accumulates in living tissue and causes serious health effects, including neurological and reproductive disorders in humans and wildlife; and
WHEREAS,  coal-fired and oil-fired power plants emit significant amounts of toxic metal particles, including arsenic, beryllium, chromium, cadmium, lead and nickel; and
WHEREAS,  coal-fired and oil-fired power plants emit large amounts of acid gases and organic pollutants that are listed as hazardous air pollutants under the United States Clean Air Act; and
WHEREAS,  mercury levels in Maine fish, loons and eagles are among the highest in North America, leading to a statewide advisory regarding mercury and fish consumption that has remained in effect since 1994; and
WHEREAS,  our communities, businesses and industries depend on clean air and a healthy environment for the benefit of current and future residents, property owners and visitors; and
WHEREAS,  in Maine, commercial fishing contributed over $500 million to the State's economy in 2017; and
WHEREAS,  pollution from coal-fired and oil-fired power plants threatens the quality of life and the livelihoods of Maine citizens, important Maine industries, such as commercial and recreational fishing and tourism, and small businesses that rely on a clean and healthy environment; and
WHEREAS,  hazardous pollution from coal-fired and oil-fired power plants can travel significant distances and across state borders; and
WHEREAS,  the United States Environmental Protection Agency reports that between December 2014 and April 2016, the deadline to achieve compliance with the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, coal-fired power plants in the United States made investments in control technologies and other related changes for over 112 gigawatts of capacity; and
WHEREAS,  the United States Environmental Protection Agency states that the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards have already reduced mercury emissions from the power sector by 86%, acid gases by 96% and toxic metals by 81% and protected public health and the environment accordingly; and
WHEREAS,  controlling and reducing emissions of all air pollutants from coal-fired and oil-fired power plants, including pollutants not directly regulated by the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards but nevertheless reduced by the controls installed to implement the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, is providing improvements in the quality of the air and environment, to the benefit of Maine citizens; and
WHEREAS,  the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed revised Supplemental Cost Finding for the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards on December 27, 2018 that puts the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards in jeopardy; and
WHEREAS,  this resolution must be initiated before the 60-day period expires following publication of the proposal in the Federal Register in order that opposition to the proposal may be communicated to the United States Environmental Protection Agency forthwith; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, your Memorialists, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to respectfully request that the President of the United States direct the United States Environmental Protection Agency to withdraw the revised Supplemental Cost Finding for the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards; and be it further
RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the Honorable Donald John Trump, President of the United States, to the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Andrew Wheeler, and to the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation, William Wehrum.