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.
Mark McDermid (Wisconsin) 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.
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: 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 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.
To view a list of Quicksilver Caucus members and leaders click here.
In August 2009, the Quicksilver Caucus drafted a new Action Plan for 2009-2011 and submitted the proposed Plan to US EPA for their consideration. ECOS plans to deliberate with US EPA to edit the Plan if necessary in an effort to agree on a final version. Additionally, ECOS submitted a grant request to accompany the proposed Action Plan seeking to engage US EPA in a new cooperative agreement to fund this work. ECOS will work with US EPA in order to finalize the 2009-2011 Action Plan. The new Action Plan will be posted here for public viewing once this occurs.
In the meantime, the draft 2007-08 Action Plan and Implementation Strategy as of December 2006 describes actions and activities the QSC has worked on over the past few years.
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/
- 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
2006
- Stewardship Approaches
- Published Mercury Product Labeling (March 2006) to stimulate discussion about the value and effectiveness of labeling mercury-added products as an approach for phasing out nonessential uses of mercury. The document describes activities in nine states and provides information about the value and effectiveness of state programs.
- Published Mercury-Added Product White Paper (November 2006) that identifies five mercury containing products where State and Federal agencies could reduce mercury use through voluntary and regulatory mechanisms.
- Actively engaged with vehicle manufacturers, steel makers, the recycling industry (e.g., dismantlers and shredders), environmental organizations and US EPA to establish the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP) Memorandum of Agreement for removing switches from vehicles.
- Supported and endorsed the National Mercury Switch Removal Program Memorandum of Agreement in ECOS Resolution 06-7.
- Participated in NVMSRP implementation activities with vehicle manufacturers, steel makers, the recycling industry (e.g., dismantlers and shredders), environmental organizations and US EPA.
- Provided technical assistance to states on vehicle switch removal approaches and the NVMSRP through knowledge transfer sessions for states in January, April, November and December 2006
- Established state-to-state exchange of information on state vehicle switch programs through WISER.
- Re-affirmed through ECOS Resolution 06-1 Mercury Retirement and Stockpiling its opposition to
- Commended the Defense Logistics Agency on continuing its suspension of sales from the Department of Defense’s mercury stockpile and for its identification of continued mercury storage as the preferable management option in the Mercury Management Environmental Impact Statement.
- Informed the Department of Energy of its long-term and continuing opposition to the sale of U.S. Mercury Stockpiles in a December 11, 2006 Letter to Secretary Bodman.
- Continued to call upon US EPA to develop a National Mercury Reduction Implementation Strategy for its Roadmap for Mercury with a goal of significant reduction of anthropogenic sources of mercury such that fish consumption advisories for mercury can be lifted within a reasonable time frame, to achieve the goals established in the federal Clean Water Act and state Water Quality Standards.
- Re-affirmed states commitment to actively partner with USEPA in implementing a national strategy that is consistent with ECOS Resolution 03-7: Need For a National Mercury Reduction Implementation Strategy To Further Progress On Atmospheric Mercury Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).
- Continued to monitor states developing alternative TMDL approaches in Minnesota (submitted state-wide TMDL for Mercury to US EPA in June 2006), Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island submitted a Category 4 Mercury TMDL Alternative Regulatory Pathway Proposal in 2004 that was disapproved by US EPA in 2006.
2005
- Conducted a survey on State activities related to mercury. Forty-five states responded to the survey. Based on these responses, the Quicksilver Caucus and the National Wildlife Federation published the 2005 Compendium of States' Mercury Activities (October 2005). The compendium is made up of two major sections, a national overview that takes a broad look at the activities in which states are engaged, and individual state summaries that describe some of the specific activities that each state is pursuing.
- Maintained contact with the Defense Logistics Agency to ensure future coordination with states on actions stemming from the Department of Defense’s Record of Decision for the Final Mercury Management Environmental Impact Statement.
- Continued to monitor US EPA efforts to develop a national program for removing switches from vehicles. It also initiated a technical assistance program for states by publishing Removing Mercury Switches from Vehicles -- A Pollution Prevention Opportunity for States (August 2005) and planned a Vehicle Switch Removal Seminar for States.
2004
- Re-affirmed their Policy Positions on Mercury by renewing three ECOS Resolutions at the ECOS Spring 2004 Meeting
2001 - 2003
- State environmental association leaders formed the Quicksilver caucus formed the Quicksilver Caucus to collaboratively develop holistic approaches for reducing mercury in the environment. They also formed a partnership with U.S. EPA to jointly address two areas of mutual concern -- a national approach for addressing lakes and rivers impaired by mercury pollution and the long-term management of excess mercury in the
2000
- ECOS sponsored the first Mercury Workshop for state environmental commissioners and their senior managers to educate and inform them on the Mercury problem in the
Mercury-Added Product Work Plan (September 2007)
Mercury-Added Product White Paper (November 2006)
Mercury Product Labeling: Information for States (March 2006)
2005 Compendium of States' Mercury Activities (October 2005)
Mercury Stewardship -- Best Management Practices (October 2003)
Mercury Stewardship -- Storage of Mercury (October 2003)
Mercury Stewardship -- Best Management Practices (October 2003)
Mercury Stewardship -- Mercury Commodity Review (October 2003)
Mercury Stewardship -- Market Policy Options (October 2003)
Compendium of State Mercury Activities (January 2001)
The ECOS Mercury Workshop Report -- Volume I (October 2000)
The ECOS Mercury Workshop Report -- Volume II (October 2000)
Other Key Documents
QSC Comments on Defense Department Mercury Stockpile (July 2003)
Letter to Administrator Leavitt in Support of the MA Alternative TMDL Proposal
Letter to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Environment, Mr. Daniel Reifsnyder (January 2007)
U.S. Department of State's Response Letter to the QSC (February 2007)
Technical Assistance Documents (Provided By States)
Safe Management of Surplus Mercury – Maine Letters (October 2000)