"President Bush's new mercury rule shows that he prefers to keep close ties with corporate polluters rather than protect the health of New Jersey families. The mercury rule released today clearly favors industry over public health. In fact, Administration officials ignored good science and instead let industry lobbyists write much of the new rule, which seriously imperils the progress we could be making in controlling a dangerous pollutant.

"The Clinton administration attempted to follow the intent of the Clean Air Act by proposing to recognize mercury as a toxic pollutant and require the maximum reductions possible. Under President Clinton's plan, we could have had 90 percent less mercury by 2008 -- only three years from now.

"Yet even in the face of continuing evidence that mercury is a serious neurotoxin and is especially dangerous to expectant mothers and infants, the Bush administration wants to let industry off the hook. Today's rule proposes a cap-and-trade system for mercury -- the first time any toxic pollutant would be traded. Under this system, certain plants could actually increase their levels of mercury pollution, and overall reductions would be seriously delayed.

"Unfortunately, the Bush administration's mercury rule places the health of millions of Americans at risk, especially women and children. Currently, eight percent of women of childbearing age in the U.S. have unsafe levels of mercury in their blood, and 630,000 babies are born each year with elevated levels of mercury in their blood. Mercury pollution has also contaminated 12 million acres of our nation's lakes, estuaries and wetlands and more than 400,000 miles of streams, rivers and coastlines.

"The Bush administration should withdraw this rule and come back with a serious attempt to protect public health."