PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Dec 20, 2001
Omnibus Mercury Emission Reduction Act of 2001 - Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations to establish standards for mercury and mercury compound emissions applicable to: (1) electric utility steam generating units; (2) coal- and oil-fired boiler units of a specified capacity; (3) chlor-alkali plants that use the mercury cell production process; and (4) dust from Portland cement plants. Sets forth permit requirements.Requires the Administrator to authorize methods of emissions control.Establishes mercury emission baselines for electric utility and coal- and oil-fired boiler units.Requires the regulations to ensure that recovered mercury is disposed of in a manner that ensures that: (1) mercury hazards are not transferred between environmental media; and (2) there is no release of mercury into the environment.Directs the Administrator to establish a program of long-term disposal research and publicize emission data for each facility.Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to direct the Administrator to publish a list of mercury-containing items to be separated and removed from the waste streams that feed solid waste facilities.Requires mercury-content labeling by manufacturers.Requires persons that transfer solid waste that may contain a listed mercury-containing item to submit separation and removal plans.Directs the Administrator to promulgate regulations concerning measurement of mercury emissions from solid waste combustion flue gases.Requires permits for solid waste incineration units to specify inspection, entry, monitoring, compliance certification, and reporting requirements. Directs the Administrator to require incineration units that exceed the maximum emission rate to install measures that will result, within three years, in a rate below the specified maximum.Prohibits, three years after this Act's enactment, the sale of mercury-containing products unless the manufacturer has been granted an exemption.Requires reports on reductions of mercury emissions from medical and hazardous waste incinerators, military uses of mercury, the sources and extent of emissions in North America, sedimentation trends in water bodies of concern, and fish consumption advisories.Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Administrator to establish an advisory committee to report on the progress made in complying with this Act's amendments.Requires a study of mercury stockpiles and retirement. Increases funding for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program Mercury Deposition Network.
People & committees
Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · D–VT
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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