On June 8, 2006, RSA 125-O:11-18, Multiple Pollutant Reduction Program, Mercury Emissions, became effective, requiring reductions in mercury emissions from the existing coal burning electric power plants. This law requires the affected coal burning sources – Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) Merrimack Station Units 1 and 2 and Schiller Station Units 4, 5, and 6 – to reduce mercury emissions by a minimum of 80 percent below the baseline mercury input by July 1, 2013.
Pursuant to RSA 125-O:14, Measurement of Baseline Mercury Input and Emissions, the Director of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Air Resources Division, has made a final determination of the baseline mercury input for these units. RSA 125-O:14 requires the baseline mercury input to be calculated by using the average mercury content of the coal as measured during coal sampling and the average annual coal throughout. Based upon the information provided by PSNH and comments received, DES has made a final determination that the baseline mercury input is 228 pounds per year.
The final determination and other related information are available by following the links listed below. Please direct any questions to Elizabeth Nixon at (603) 271-1370 or by e-mail at elizabeth.nixon@des.nh.gov.
Any person aggrieved by the decision may file a petition in accordance with RSA 21-O:14 and Env-AC 200, Procedural Rules, with the Air Resources Council within 30 days (received at the DES offices by 4:00 p.m. on July 28, 2011) of the decision made on June 28, 2011. Any person filing an appeal must submit such appeal and 15 copies to the following address:
Air Resources Council
Attn: Appeals Clerk
c/o DES Legal Unit
29 Hazen Drive; PO Box 95
Concord, NH 03302-0095
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Final Determination – Baseline Mercury Input
Preliminary Determination – Baseline Mercury Input
Comments from Stakeholders
Correspondence
- PSNH baseline testing plan letter (8-30-06)
- DES letter response to baseline testing plan (10-2-06)
- PSNH stack testing and fuel sampling documents (12-12-06)
- PSNH traditional coal at Merrimack (12-12-06)
- PSNH baseline testing follow up letter (1-5-07)
- PSNH letter baseline mercury input (9-7-07)
- DES letter request for additional information (12-28-07)
- DES email response to baseline data information (8-12-08)
- DES letter request for additional information (10-29-09)
- PSNH letter additional information (11-30-09)
- DES letter request for additional information (2-5-10)
- PSNH letter revised baseline mercury input (3-8-10)
Additional Data
- 2003 Merrimack coal shipments
- 2003 Schiller coal shipments
- 2004 Merrimack coal shipments
- 2004 Schiller coal shipments
- 2005 Merrimack coal shipments
- 2005 Schiller coal shipments
- 2006 Merrimack coal shipments
- 2006 Schiller coal shipments
- Merrimack 2 coal burn data 1997-2006
- Merrimack 1 coal blends 1995-2006
- Merrimack 2 coal blends 1995-2006
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