§ 7113 - Advisory committee on mercury pollution - Vermont Statutes

§ 7113. Advisory committee on mercury pollution TITLE 10Conservation and DevelopmentPART VLand Use and DevelopmentCHAPTER 164. COMPREHENSIVE MERCURY MANAGEMENT

§ 7113. Advisory committee on mercury pollution

(a) There is created an advisory committee on mercury pollution to consist of one member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker; one member of the senate, appointed by the committee on committees; the secretary of natural resources or the secretary's designee; the commissioner of fish and wildlife or the commissioner's designee; and the following persons, as appointed by the governor: one representative of an industry that manufactures consumer products that contain mercury; one public health specialist; one hospital representative; one representative of the Abenaki Self-Help Association, Inc.; one toxicologist; one representative of a municipal solid waste district; and one scientist who is knowledgeable on matters related to mercury contamination. The advisory committee shall advise the general assembly, the executive branch, and the general public on matters relating to the prevention and cleanup of mercury pollution and the latest science on the remediation of mercury pollution. By January 15 of each year, the advisory committee will report to the general assembly updated information on the following:

(1) The extent of mercury contamination in the soil, waters, air, and biota of Vermont.

(2) The extent of any health risk from mercury contamination in Vermont, especially to pregnant women, children of the Abenaki Self-Help Association, Inc., and other communities that use fish as a major source of food.

(3) Methods available for minimizing risk of further contamination or increased health risk to the Vermont public.

(4) Potential costs of minimizing further risk and recommendations of how to raise funds necessary to reduce contamination and minimize risk of mercury-related problems in Vermont.

(5) Coordination needed with other states to address effectively mercury contamination.

(6) The effectiveness of the established programs, including manufacturer-based reverse distribution systems for in-state collection, subsequent transportation, and subsequent recycling of mercury from waste mercury-added products, and recommendations for altering the programs to make them more effective.

(7) Ways to reduce the extent to which solid waste produced within the state is incinerated at incinerators, regardless of location, that fail to use the best available technology in scrubbing and filtering emissions from the incinerator stack.

(b) The advisory committee shall be terminated on January 1, 2015, unless extended by the general assembly. (Added 2005, No. 13, § 1; 2009, No. 46, § 10a.)