Monsanto Wants Tighter Mercury Rules in Idaho

BOISE, Idaho — Monsanto is teaming with the Idaho Conservation League to ask state officials to create rules to regulate large mercury emitters, jointly sending a petition to the state Department of Environmental Quality ahead of the agency's July 29 board meeting.

Monsanto emits about 600 to 700 pounds of mercury annually into the air at its phosphate plant in eastern Idaho. The company uses phosphate from Soda Springs to make the herbicide Roundup.

Company officials fought mercury regulation in February at a DEQ board meeting, saying scientists couldn't link emissions from plants such as the one operated by Monsanto with high levels of mercury in lakes and fish in the state.

But now the company says regulation is needed.

"We left the February board meeting feeling mercury regulation was not dead and we have work to do," Mick McCullough, an engineer with Monsanto in Soda Springs, told the Idaho Statesman.

High amounts of mercury can damage the human nervous system, particularly in developing fetuses.

Justin Hayes of the ICL said he was at first skeptical Monsanto was interested in regulating mercury emissions when he spoke with Bruce Pallante, the plant manager at Soda Springs.

"I had a really good conversation with Bruce and he was just eloquent about why we need to do this," Hayes said. "I was convinced that Monsanto is in this for the right reasons."

It's unclear whether other companies will follow Monsanto.

"We're going to meet on Thursday and have a discussion," said Alan Prouty, environmental manager for the J.R. Simplot Co.

Industry officials in Idaho have historically stuck together to fight regulation.

"Monsanto is breaking from this herd mentality," Hayes said. "They recognize it is in their best interest to develop regulations for themselves and other large emitters that might follow them, because they all live in Idaho, too."