January 27, 2007--Mercury Levels Prompt Health Warning (Cortez Journal)
Elevated levels of mercury have been found in fish in five Colorado reservoirs including Horsetooth, Horseshoe, Totten, Purdy and Trinidad...There are several debates regarding where and how the mercury is getting into fish, but the most likely source is power plants...At least 44 states have been conducting mercury sampling and all are finding elevated mercury levels...The EPA has directed states to cap mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants. Some states say the Bush administration's requirements aren't tough enough and are pursuing stronger standards. The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission is considering the state's first-ever mercury standard...These latest warnings come on top of advisories already posted at nine Colorado lakes and reservoirs, most of which are clustered in the southwest region of Colorado near where several large, coal-fired power plants operate in the Four Corners region.
A similar article was published January 26, 2007--Mercury Levels Unsafe in Fish from Purdy Mesa Reservoir in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. For copies of the original articles contact the WIP at (970) 247-1302 or stop by the office at 841 East Second Avenue in Durango.