Report: Texas Makes the Hot List for Mercury Pollution...Again

AUSTIN, Texas - A new report finds the Lone Star State is not alone when it comes to mercury pollution. Texas is listed as "most polluted" in the study from Environment America, but Pennsylvania is close behind, and mercury levels are also high in Ohio and West Virginia.

The research focused on mercury emitted from coal-fired power plants, an issue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to take up next month. Lauren McGrath, associate campaign representative with the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign, says it's a public health concern because exposure to the heavy metal puts expectant mothers at risk for birth defects in their children, including learning disabilities, developmental disorders and lower IQs. (contd.)  

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