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Mercury Pollution Reduction Act

Introduced: April 30, 2009 Introduced by: Schakowsky, Janice D. Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 10 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 16, 2009
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 222.
Dec 16, 2009
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 111-381.
Oct 21, 2009
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 29 - 14.
Oct 21, 2009
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jun 3, 2009
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 16 - 10 .
Jun 3, 2009
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
May 12, 2009
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
May 1, 2009
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Apr 30, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Apr 30, 2009
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Mercury Pollution Reduction Act - Declares that the United States should develop policies and programs that will reduce: (1) mercury use and emissions; (2) mercury releases from the reservoir of mercury currently in use or circulation; and (3) exposures to mercury, particularly of women of childbearing age and young children.

Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to prohibit: (1) the manufacture of chlorine or caustic soda using mercury cells at any facility in the United States; and (2) the export of any elemental mercury or the sale of elemental mercury for purposes of export, including compounds and mixtures containing elemental mercury, by the owner or operator of a chlor-alkali facility.

Requires the owner or operator of any existing chlor-alkali facility to notify the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) no later than June 30, 2012, on whether the owner or operator will replace its chlor-alkali facility with a new manufacturing facility that does not use mercury or cease operations. Requires a chlor-alkali facility for which a closure notice is filed to cease manufacturing chlorine or caustic soda using mercury cells no later than June 30, 2013. Authorizes a chlor-alkali facility for which a replacement notice is filed to continue to manufacture chlorine or caustic soda using mercury cells until all of the permitting, financing, engineering, and construction of a non-mercury replacement facility is complete or June 30, 2015, whichever is earlier.

Provides that this Act does not affect the ability of the owner or operator of any chlor-alkali facility to store elemental mercury in accordance with the Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008.


What's happening now December 16, 2009

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 222.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2