Environmental Council of the States: Committees: Cross-Media: Quicksilver Caucus

GROUP BACKGROUND

The Quicksilver Caucus was formed in May 2001 by a coalition of State environmental association leaders to collaboratively develop holistic approaches for reducing mercury in the environment. Caucus members who share mercury-related technical and policy information include the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO), the National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA), the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators (ASIWPCA), the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) and the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR). The Quicksilver Caucus’ long-term goal is that state, federal, and international actions result in net mercury reductions to the environment.

Representing the state environmental agency directors, ECOS is the flagship association member of the Quicksilver Caucus. ECOS provides staff to facilitate the group's activities, and ECOS staff work to find grant funding to support the group's activities. Nevertheless, the Quicksilver Caucus establishes its goals and policy positions by consensus, and all six (6) association members of the Quicksilver Caucus are considered equal partners in this effort. Each association member has a lead representative serving on the Quicksilver Caucus. The lead representatives work to find consensus on issues and form the core of the Quicksilver Caucus Leadership Team.

Ginger Jordan-Hillier (Maine) currently serves as the Lead ECOS Representative of the Quicksilver Caucus. Matthew Jones (ECOS) is the Staff Liaison. For a list of other Quicksilver Caucus leaders and members, click here.

The QSC is working collaboratively and in partnership in three priority areas:

Stewardship approaches for reducing mercury in the environment and managing safe, long-term storage of elemental mercury nationally and internationally.
Multi-media approaches for a mercury-based TMDL taking into account the contributions of the air and waste program as well as using their statutes to craft solutions.
Approaches to decrease the global supply and demand for mercury.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ginger Jordan-Hillier Appointed ECOS Lead for Quicksilver Caucus

On June 1, 2010, ECOS President Mike Linder (Nebraska) appointed Ginger Jordan-Hillier (Maine) as Lead ECOS Representative to the Quicksilver Caucus. In this position, Ginger will provide key leadership on mercury issues for the States.

Ginger is the Environmental Public Health Coordinator at Maine DEP. She has been an active member of the Quicksilver Caucus for over five years and previously served on its Leadership Team in 2009.

Ginger succeeds Mark McDermid (Wisconsin) who served in the position for more than two years and helped to spearhead a number of successful mercury-related projects and policy resolutions for ECOS.

A special welcome goes to Ginger as she begins to serve in her new role, and special thanks goes to Mark for his years of leadership and service.

House to Hold Hearing on EPA's Efforts to Reduce Mercury Pollution from Amalgam

ECOS to Testify

The U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee Domestic Policy Subcommittee will hold a hearing on May 26, 2010 at 2pm Eastern on Assessing EPA's Efforts to Measure and Reduce Mercury Pollution from Dentist Offices. ECOS has been invited to testify. ECOS Executive Director, Steve Brown, will provide the testimony based on current ECOS positions and Quicksilver Caucus reports and recommendations. The hearing will be webcast live, and an archived copy of the video will be made available for viewing after the hearing has occurred-- see the Subcommittee's website for more information.

Steve Owens Sends Letter to ECOS on Mercury

On May 13, 2010, EPA Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Steve Owens, sent a letter to ECOS acknowledging receipt of Resolution #07-1 "Implementing a National Vision for Mercury." In the letter, Mr. Owens thanks ECOS for sending EPA the resolution and resolves to continue working with state agencies to address the mercury issue.

EPA Responds to Congressional Inquiry on Dental Amalgam Mercury

On January, 15, 2010, Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Rep. Diane Watson sent EPA a request for information regarding its efforts to reduce mercury pollution from dental amalgam. On April 5, 2010, Arvin Gavesan of EPA's Congressional Affairs Office provided a response.

Quicksilver Caucus Sends Comments to EPA on Proposed Effluent Guidelines

ECOS Says Dental Facilities Should Be Required to Adopt Best Management Practices

On March 31, the Quicksilver Caucus sent a letter commenting on EPA's proposed effluent guidelines. A copy of the letter is here.

A week before the letter was sent, the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) passed a policy resolution on the matter. The resolution says, “WHEREAS, mercury from dental amalgam can be the single largest source of mercury for publicly owned treatment works and is a water quality discharge concern and a source of air pollution when sludge is incinerated or land applied… NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT… ECOS urges U.S. EPA to include dental facilities under the Health Care Sector for rulemaking in its Effluent Guidelines Program Plan and require adoption of best management practices that reduce mercury discharges to protect the environment.” A copy of the ECOS resolution is here.

ECOS Passes Resolutions on Monitoring and for Implementing a National Vision for Mercury

Dental Facilities Should Be Required to Adopt Best Management Practices

During the Cross-Media Committee plenary session on March 24, 2010, the ECOS membership passed the following policy resolution (click link for resolution text):

Implementing a National Vision for Mercury

The resolution advocates that dental facilities should be required to adopt best management practices for mercury in amalgam.

In addition, during the Water Committee plenary session on March 24, 2010, the ECOS membership passed another resolution regarding:

Comprehensive National Mercury Monitoring

Quicksilver Caucus Submits Comments to FTC on CFL Labeling

On Dec. 28, 2009, the Quicksilver Caucus submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding labeling of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).

Amalgam Separator Manufacturer Gives Presentation to Quicksilver Caucus

On Oct. 14, 2009, Mr. Al Dube (Solmetex) gave a presentation to the Quicksilver Caucus via conference call regarding use of separator machinery to remove amalgam mercury from dental office discharges. Mr. Damon Highsmith (US EPA OW) also joined the call. Mr. Dube's slideshow is available here as well as a list of participants.

EPA and ATSDR Sponsor Mercury Public Service Announcement Video

The federal government has sponsored the release of a PSA video portraying mercury as dangerous for children. Here is a link to the video.

ECOS Passes Resolution Regarding Mercury Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

During the Water Committee plenary session on September 22, 2009, the ECOS membership passed a resolution regarding mercury TMDLs as recommended by the Quicksilver Caucus. Click link for resolution text:

The Need for a National Mercury Reduction Implementation Strategy and Global Actions to Further Progress on Atmospheric Mercury Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

Caucus Shares Concerns Regarding General Motors Withdrawal from Recycling Program

On Sept. 16, Quicksilver Caucus association leaders shared their concerns regarding General Motors' withdrawal from an important mercury vehicle switch recycling program in a letter to EPA, CEQ and the U.S. Treasury. Click here to view the letter.

US EPA Agrees to Work with States to Investigate More Comprehensive Approaches for Reducing Mercury Pollution

On July 8, Acting Associate Administrator for US EPA OCIR, Joyce Frank, sent a letter to leaders of the ECOS Cross-Media Committee thanking them for their June 11 letter requesting that US EPA engage with the states to investigate more comprehensive approaches for reducing mercury in the environment. Click here to view the letter. Click here to view the original request.

2009 Mercury Science and Policy Conference to be Held in November

Dates have been set for the 2009 Mercury Science and Policy Conference. The conference will be held November 17- 18 in Chicago, Illinois. The conference is being organized by NEWMOA and is being co-sponsored by numerous organizations including Quicksilver Caucus and US EPA Regions 1 and 5. Several QSC members are serving on the conference Steering Committee. This year's event has a focus on the Northeast and Great Lakes regions (including the eastern Canadian provinces), but officials from all U.S. states are welcome and encouraged to attend. The Quicksilver Caucus hopes to be able to provide a limited number of travel scholarships to assist a contingency of our members to attend. Click here for more information about the conference. Click here to view the Call for Presentations notice.

ECOS Passes Resolutions on Mercury and Federal Facility Cleanup Issues

During the Cross-Media Committee plenary session on March 23, 2009, the ECOS membership passed the following policy resolutions regarding mercury pollution and federal facility cleanup issues (click links for resolution texts):

Clarification of CERCLA Sovereign Immunity Waiver for Federal Facilities

Endorsement of the National Mercury Switch Recovery Program Memorandum of Agreement that Reduces Mercury in the Environment and Provides Flexibility to the States

Mercury Reduction, Stewardship, and Retirement

US EPA and Quicksilver Caucus Send Joint Letter to Thermostat Manufacturer

On Feb. 27, US EPA and the Quicksilver Caucus (QSC) sent a joint letter to Honeywell Incorporated in an effort to engage the company in further pollution prevention efforts. In particular, US EPA and QSC seek to work with Honeywell to decrease the sale of mercury-containing thermostats and increase collection of mercury from end-of-life thermostats. Click here to view a copy of the letter.

Quicksilver Caucus Publishes Status Report on the Vehicle Switch Program

The Quicksilver Caucus has released a status report on the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program. Click here to view the report. *Please note-- on Feb. 26, ECOS revised this report to correct a previous error. This link now contains the revised final version of the report.

US EPA Responds to Quicksilver Caucus Regarding Dental Amalgam Mercury

On Jan. 15, 2009, the out-going Assistant Administrator for US EPA's Office of Water (OW), Benjamin Grumbles, sent a letter to the Quicksilver Caucus in response to the Caucus' Dec. 16, 2008 letter encouraging the agency to engage QSC in developing goals for reducing mercury releases from dental amalgam. In the letter, Mr. Grumbles cites a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) US EPA has established with the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and the American Dental Association (ADA) on this issue. Click here to view the letter. Click here to view the MOU.

Quicksilver Caucus members believe that state environmental agencies are a critical stakeholder on the amalgam mercury issue, and we believe that Quicksilver Caucus members should be invited to future meetings that US EPA hosts on the issue so that members can be kept abreast of the agency's plans and developments, and so members have opportunity to provide input. The Caucus has a meeting with US EPA OW scheduled for Jan. 22, 2009 to discuss these interests.

Quicksilver Caucus Sends Letter to US EPA on Dental Amalgam Mercury

On Dec. 16, 2008, the Quicksilver Caucus sent a letter to US EPA urging development of a national strategy for managing mercury in dental amalgam. Click here to view the letter.

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QSC MEMBERS & LEADERS

To view a list of Quicksilver Caucus members and leaders click here.

CURRENT ACTION PLAN

The current Quicksilver Caucus Action Plan may be viewed here. This Action Plan is intended to guide the work of the Caucus for June 2010 through May 2012.

On May 14, 2010, EPA awarded a new cooperative-agreement grant to ECOS to support the planned activities of the Quicksilver Caucus for June 2010 through May 2011. The grant was signed on May 19. Support for Caucus activities for June 2011 through May 2012 will be dependant upon receipt of a grant supplement by May 2011.

The draft 2007-08 Action Plan and Implementation Strategy as of December 2006 describes actions and activities the QSC worked on in previous years.

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QSC HISTORY

2009

QSC has released a status report on the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program. Click here to view the report. *Please note-- on Feb. 26, ECOS revised this report to correct a previous error. This link now contains the revised final version of the report.
On Feb. 6, QSC sent a letter to the U.S. State Department supporting stronger management of international transboundary mercury.

2008

On Tuesday, Nov. 18, the QSC held a webinar on the topic of dental amalgam mercury programming and state and local efforts to reduce loading of amalgam mercury to water systems via use of separator machinery. The webinar highlighted the White Paper the Quicksilver Caucus published earlier this year on the issue, along with various states’ experiences with the subject, as outlined in case studies also recently published by the Caucus. Organization and facilitation of the webinar was spearheaded by Becky Jayne (Illinois EPA) and other members of the QSC Dental Amalgam Work Group. The webinar was delivered to an audience of dental clinic regulators and publicly-owned treatment works (POTWs) and state officials. During the webinar, Dr. Mark Smith (Massachusetts DEP) gave a presentation highlighting general issues related to dental amalgam mercury management— noting that approximately 50% of mercury input into sewage comes from dental amalgam. Dr. Smith noted that eleven (11) states now have rules requiring use of amalgam separator machinery. Peter Berglund (Metropolitan Council Environmental Services/ Saint Paul, Minnesota) gave the audience tips on how to administer amalgam separator programs. Also, Christine Barnes (New York DEC) presented New York state’s dental amalgam waste management standards (including details on their separator installation and certification standards). Maria Peeler (Washington DOE) explained Washington state’s experience with the issue, and also gave a presentation focusing on the King County (Washington) amalgam management program. Ginger Jordan-Hillier (Maine DEP) also was on hand to answer questions about Maine’s experience with amalgam programming, and the agency’s interactions with that state’s dental community. The webinar was attended by over 60 state and local government officials from across the country. Due to its success, the Quicksilver Caucus is considering holding another webinar at a future date on the topic of amalgam regulation for a target audience of state policy-makers.
On Oct. 29, 2008, Mr. James Werntz (US EPA Region 10) gave a presentation to the Quicksilver Caucus on the Mercury Policy and Programming of US EPA Region 10. Click here to view Mr. Werntz's presentation.
The Quicksilver Caucus published the Dental Mercury Amalgam Waste Management White Paper to share information about state and local government programs that address dental mercury amalgam. *Please note- a limited number of hard copies of this paper were published in April 2008. Since then, a minor mistake on Page 2 of the paper was discovered and corrected. The version of this paper accessible here by hyperlink is the final corrected version of the Quicksilver Caucus Dental Mercury Amalgam Waste Management White Paper.
In May, the Quicksilver Caucus published the Case Studies of Five Dental Mercury Amalgam Separator Programs as a document to complement the Dental Mercury Amalgam Waste Management White Paper that was published in April.
Since the EPA published the Electric Arc Furnace Area Source Rule for Steelmaking Facilities in December 2007, there are new requirements related to mercury of which state and local agencies need to be aware. To help with that, the Quicksilver Caucus has published a new document: Electric Arc Furnace Area Source Rule Mercury Requirements Factsheet for State and Local Agencies

2007

The Quicksilver Caucus (QSC) published the Mercury-Added Product Work Plan (September 2007) that identifies the activities the QSC plans to pursue related to mercury-added products.
ECOS provided testimony on June 22, 2007 before the House Energy and Committee; Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials on the "Collection and Management of Commodity Grade Elemental Mercury".
The Quicksilver Caucus (QSC) adopted a set of principles that addresses the collection and management of elemental commodity grade mercury. The QSC believes any national approach should be based on these principles.
The Quicksilver Caucus Workshop was held in Madison, Wisconsin on May 4 and 5, 2007. The workshop presenters updated state and federal policy leaders through their presentations.

2006

Stewardship Approaches
- Published

ECOS Focus Areas

Quicksilver Caucus