I have been blogging about health issues on Daily Kos. I am trying to draw people’s attention to some really serious stuff. No surprise to Kos readers the Bush Administration plays gatekeeper with science. Few people understand what President Bush, the GOP and their corporate cronies have been doing to seriously harm science and the public health. I am going to explain it as best I can.
The case of methyl mercury is a finest example of the people not understanding emerging science well enough to make an informed decision about social policy matters concerning their health. Most people see coal fired power plants as a global warming issue. I am going beyond global warming and looking at this issue as a public health concern. Both asthma and methyl mercury are public health problems associated with coal fired power plant emissions. Is the short need for power worth the long term health cost to Iowa? I hope to stir up a good policy debate.
My main concern in this blog is Iowa's fish stock and methyl mercury. Burning more coal will mean more mercury. Iowa Department Natural Resourcesregularly test for mercury levels in Iowa fish. Here's a thought: What if there is no safe level of methyl mercury?
I love the saying "The hardest thing in the world to do is know right from wrong. But once you know what the right thing is... it is hard not to do the right thing." This is one of those health matters where right thing is so clear once you understand the science. I became familiar with the new science of genetic inheritance or epigenetics from a PBS Nova podcast called "A Tale of Two Mice". Epigenes literally means above the genes. Our epigenes are like switches that control our gene expression or phenotype. Our genes are turned off and on via chemistry. Hyper-(genes off) and hypo-methylation (genes on) control what your genes do. We have gotten into an toxic arms race with methyl mercury and if we are being exposed we would never know. With President Bush we don't have the right to know who is putting what into our air, water and soil. Sooner or later, the arm race ends and a random natural selection begins.
The Department of Iowa Natural Resources is operating on a precautionary principle within the paradigm of toxicity. This kind of thinking might not help us.
Methyl mercury harms people's health by possibly changing how our genes are expressed. Small events (like a toxic exposure can be so random any level of toxicity) could spell disaster in the womb. Due the randomness of chance and increasing level of toxins in our environment, our nation policies must for the sake of future generations come in line with our American values and asprirations. If this generation can't act then our children might face unacceptable consequences or choices for our inaction.
Methyl mercury (or CH3Hg) is released when people burn fossil fuels like coal. Methyl mercury gets into microorganisms. Methyl mercury travels up the food chain increasing amounts or biomagnifies as the toxin reaches to top predatory fish like largemouth bass and northern pike.
Fish consumption advisories are issued wherever it is confirmed that advisory levels in the IDNR/IDPH protocol are exceeded. Based on this new advisory protocol, IDNR and IDPH recommend the following:
LAKES:
• Cedar Bend Lake in Linn County: Eat only 1 meal/week of common carp due to elevated levels of PCBs.
• Cedar Lake in Cedar Rapids: Eat only 1 meal/week of common carp and channel catfish due to elevated levels of PCBs.
• Lake Geode in Henry County: Eat only 1 meal/week of largemouth bass due to elevated levels of mercury.
• Mormon Trail Lake in Adair County: Eat only 1 meal/week of largemouth bass due to elevated levels of mercury.
• Nine Eagles Lake in Decatur County: Eat only 1 meal/week of largemouth bass due to elevated levels of mercury.
• North Banner Lake in Warren County: Eat only 1 meal/week of largemouth bass due to elevated levels of mercury.
• South Banner Lake in Warren County: Eat only 1 meal/week of largemouth bass due to elevated levels of mercury.
RIVERS:
• Pool 12 of the Mississippi River, which is the area between Lock and Dam 11 in Dubuque and Lock and Dam 12 at Bellevue in Jackson County: Eat only 1 meal/week of walleye, sauger, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass or northern pike due to elevated levels of mercury.
• The Cedar River from the Highway 218 bridge at Floyd (Floyd Co.) to the Iowa/Minnesota state line (39 mile stretch): Eat only 1 meal/week of smallmouth bass, walleye, and northern pike due to elevated levels of mercury.
• The Upper Iowa River from the State Highway 76 bridge in Allamakee County upstream to the County Road W-20 bridge in Winneshiek County, which is approximately 5.5 miles upriver (northwest) from Decorah (45 mile stretch): Eat only 1 meal/week of any species of fish due to elevated levels of mercury.
• The Volga River upstream of the Hwy C2W bridge at Volga in western Clayton County; including the Little Volga River and the North Branch Volga River: Eat only 1 meal/week of smallmouth bass due to elevated levels of mercury.
In addition to the advisories listed above, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency recommend that pregnant and nursing women, those planning to become pregnant and children 12 years of age (and younger) limit their consumption to 1 meal/week of larger size predator fish. These groups are potentially more susceptible to problems with mercury and larger size predator fish, such as walleye and bass, are more likely to have higher mercury concentrations.
Humans are the top of the food chain. We get the highest dose of toxins. Sooner or later we will lose the adaptation race against toxins in our environment. With increasing food prices we can't afford to lose or increase the toxicity of a natural resource like our Iowa's and America's freshwater fish stock. We need this natural resource for both recreation and food. America doesn't get it, yet!
The Iowa Utilities Board has granted licenses for these two coal fired power plants in Waterloo (2006) and Marshalltown (2008). Many Iowans are not happy with the Iowa Utilities Board. Both Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club and Physicians for Social Responsibility have expressed opposition to these plants. It seems the energy industry instead of researching biofuels like cellulosed based ethanol (like one would get from switch grass) Iowa is headed in the wrong direction and beating a dying horse.
On August 25, 2008, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) issued its written order in this case. Subject to certain conditions, the order grants Interstate Power and Light Company's (IPL) request for an electric generating certificate to construct and operate a 630-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Marshall County. This includes a requirement that IPL burn biomass fuels at the plant, as IPL says the plant is designed to do, and a requirement that IPL add new renewable energy sources (in addition to 200 megawatts of new wind resources already proposed) to its generation mix over the next 20 years. These requirements are intended to mitigate the company's future greenhouse gas emissions and the exposure of IPL and its customers to cost risks associated with those emissions. On April 30, 2008, the Board held public deliberations before voting 2-1 to grant this conditional approval for the plant.
Elk Run Energy Associates, LLC, an affiliate of LS Power Associates, L.P., has publicly announced its intent to construct, maintain, and operate a new 750-megawatt coal-fired electric generation facility in Black Hawk County. As required by Iowa law, Iowa Utilities Board representatives presided over a public information meeting held on May 11, 2006, at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo. To date, a petition seeking authority to proceed with building the plant has not been filed with the IUB. After such a filing is received, the Board will begin accepting public comments for inclusion in the case file.
How do let things get this bad? I think is matter of ideological mission creep! The Bush Administration, Congressional Republicans and conservative judges have sought to create the "unitary executive" Joe Biden warned America about in his debate with Sarah Palin. This is very dangerous matter in the public health arena. Daubert versus Merrill Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc. and the Data Quality Act allow industry and the White House to be the legal and scientific judge even it is not in the public's interest. In short, we expedite our self-destruction for money. McCain believes in clean coal technology. McCain really means cleaner coal technology where the energy industry still sets the public health
standards. McCain can't and won't change policies because he doesn't understand the problem.