EPA opens comment period on mercury rule rollback as alligator study highlights rising contamination risks in wetlands
An alligator’s home range matters when it comes to accumulated mercury contamination. A recent study in Georgia found that Okefenokee Swamp alligators had mercury levels eight times higher than those living in nearby coastal areas. As top predators, American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) reflect what’s happening throughout the ecosystem, serving as a warning that regulatory rollbacks could amplify risks to both wildlife and human health. While mercury occurs naturally in the environment, human activities have concentrated the potent neurotoxin into hazardous hot spots. Mercury is a well-known neurotoxin with connections to organ damage and other diseases. It is also a persistent pollutant that accumulates over time in animals. Mercury magnifies as it moves up the food chain, raising concerns about both the health of wildlife and people who eat meat. Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a rule that would roll back air pollution regulations on some of the dirtiest mercury-emitting coal plants and reduce monitoring, testing and reporting requirements. But the alligator study reveals that even the pollution occurring under existing EPA regulations may be too much. Meanwhile, scientists and environmental advocates are concerned that loosening regulations could worsen contamination with long-lasting effects.
