Voice of the People, Jul. 07

July 07, 2013

Mercury levels

I was disappointed to read "Indiana gives BP a pass on mercury" (News, June 23).

The article accurately states that the federal limit of 1.3 parts per trillion reflects decades of research but fails to include other facts that help explain the complex nature of mercury. It is only the latest scientific technology that allows us to detect such low levels of mercury. The level of 1.3 parts per trillion is the equivalent of 1.3 drops of mercury into 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Some estimate that the annual amount of mercury deposited in Lake Michigan from all sources is more than 2,000 pounds per year. Over the past three years, the annual mercury discharge from the BP facility has averaged 0.3 pounds per year, equivalent to less than one tablespoon per year.

Much work is being done to develop technology for controlling emissions and discharges, but the article mischaracterizes the state of the development of mercury removal technology in wastewater processes. The article notes that the Purdue-Calumet Water Institute and Argonne National Laboratory tested different treatment technologies. The studies showed that two of the 40 technologies examined have promising results.

There are several important caveats. First, the tests were over a three-month period only. They showed the concepts were intriguing but did not provide conclusive information about the durability of these two technologies.

Second, the studies did not conclusively determine that these options would effectively and consistently remove mercury at 1.3 parts per trillion at full operation of a wastewater plant. The tests were run on a much smaller flow of wastewater than the BP wastewater flows.

Third, the studies did not fully articulate how the facility could handle the mercury that was removed from the water. IDEM is working now to determine how this technology will affect the facility's permit.

IDEM continues to engage the public in this important permitting decision, and we are actively working with the Environmental Protection Agency in the matter.

Bruno Pigott, assistant commissioner, Office of Water Quality, Indiana Department of Environmental Management

Medicaid reform

Given the Tribune's frequent lip service paid to efficient government, our union was puzzled by your June 28 editorial ("Illinois Medicaid reform gets the boot") decrying a recent arbitration decision that requires the state of Illinois to reduce its $76 million contract with the Maximus Health Services Inc.

Lobbyists had sold the contract to lawmakers by claiming that computer algorithms could cheaply determine Medicaid eligibility. But the cost of the final contract was enormous, with several hundred workers needed to review data matches that were often in error or missing information.

In fact, Maximus frequently used the state's own records, and to date, has processed only half the cases the contract requires. State workers had to duplicate much of the Maximus work that has already cost taxpayers millions.

The arbitrator's decision would allow Maximus to continue to provide its computer matching services, but requires that Medicaid eligibility determinations be performed by state caseworkers to avoid duplication of effort. Even after netting out the cost of data matching and the additional staff the state will need, this change is conservatively estimated to save $18 million a year.

Far from threatening Medicaid reform, this approach provides for an orderly transition by maintaining the current contract through the end of the calendar year.

Had the Tribune gathered facts before putting pen to paper, we're confident you would have endorsed the decision, not urge wasting still more money on court appeals or legislative rewrites.

— Anne Irving, public policy director, AFSCME Council 31

Debating morality

I would love to debate Gov. Pat Quinn on morality and teacher pensions.

On June 27, Pensions Conference Committee Chairman State Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, suggested that the committee discuss the "morality" behind cutting benefits for workers and retirees who loyally paid into the pension system while lawmakers and state officials shorted or skipped payments. What was Quinn's response?

As quoted in the Tribune's June 28 article, "1st pension meeting reveals hard road ahead," Quinn states, "When you talk about morality, to me, the fundamental moral question is what are we doing for our children?"

Well, Gov. Quinn, that is exactly what teachers do and teacher retirees did for their entire careers — devoted themselves to the welfare of Illinois' children.

So who is immoral, Gov. Quinn? You and the other legislators who are trying to deprive teachers of their constitutional rights are the immoral ones. Shame on you.

— Judith Weinstock, Glen Ellyn