This report analyzes the most recent EPA data on mercury air emissions from power plants. Key findings in the report include the following:

- Power plants in the U.S. collectively emitted 90,108 pounds of mercury into the air in 2003. Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Alabama were the states with the most mercury air emissions from power plants in 2003.

- Counties with the highest mercury air emissions from power plants were concentrated in states in the Gulf Coast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic regions. More than half of the top 50 counties with the highest mercury air emissions were located in just seven states: Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia. In the top county, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, power plant mercury emissions totaled 1,527 pounds in 2003.

- The most polluting 100 facilities emitted 57,242 pounds of mercury into the air in 2003, or 64% of power plant mercury emissions. Most of these facilities—nearly 60%—were located in just nine states: Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia. Five of the 10 most polluting facilities were located in Texas.

- The most polluting 15 companies emitted 48,353 pounds of mercury in 2003, or 54% of total U.S. power plant mercury emissions. Three companies— American Electric Power, Southern Company, and Reliant Energy, which collectively own 57 facilities—emitted 19,694 pounds of mercury in 2003, or 22% of total U.S. power plant mercury emissions.

Rather than let many of the nation’s power plants continue to emit or even increase their mercury emissions, the Bush administration should protect public health by rewriting its mercury rules to ensure the maximum, timely reductions in power plant mercury pollution that the law requires.