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10 August 2006 -- Idaho Gov. Jim Risch directed the state Department of Environmental Quality yesterday to develop rules that will keep Idaho out of a national mercury cap-and-trade program. The result of the Governor's decision means that coal-fired power plants could not be built in the state.
"Idaho is in a unique position because we don't have any coal-fired power plants. With my decision to opt-out of the Environmental Protection Agency's interstate trading program on mercury emissions, it means that we will have decided to prohibit mercury discharge by coal-fired electrical generating plants into Idaho's air.
"There are companies that have tried to build coal-fired power facilities in Idaho and will continue to try if we were to opt-in. While I promote economic development throughout the state the health implications of mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants far outweigh any economic benefits," Risch said.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created a national program to permanently cap and reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants.
The EPA's Clean Air Mercury Rule limits mercury emissions from new and existing coal-fired power plants and creates a market-based cap-and-trade program nationwide. Each state is assigned an emissions "budget" for mercury and must submit a state plan on how it will meet its budget to reduce mercury from coal-fired power plants.
Idaho's budget or cap is "0", since there are no coal-fired power plants in the state. If the state were to opt-in and participate in the interstate mercury cap-and-trade program, mercury emission credits could be purchased or transferred by a utility from coal-fired utilities in other states. Those credits could then be used to operate a coal-fired facility in Idaho.
"I am directing the Department of Environmental Quality to develop rules that keeps us out of the mercury cap-and-trade program. If we do nothing, the EPA will automatically opt Idaho into the trading program. I do not want to see us importing mercury emissions from other states into Idaho," said Risch. The EPA deadline for notification of a state's decision is November 17.
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