On Sept. 8, we held a press conference to locally release a new report on mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. Expectant mother and OVEC volunteer Libby Callicoat joined OVEC staffer Abe Mwaura, the Ohio Environmental Council’s Jack Shaner and the Ohio B.A.S.S. Chapter Federation’s Jim Doss in detailing the effects of mercury on fish and, ultimately, human health. Here’s Libby’s statement:

"In 11 weeks, I’ll be giving birth to my first child. As a mother I have come to know the fears that a woman has when she’s trying to have a healthy baby in today’s world. As many of us are looking to the Middle East as the pinnacle of terrorism and evil, mothers see terror here in our food, our air, our water and our land. Mercury contamination in our environment, especially in our food chain, has become a dark cloud hovering over each developing fetus and young child. We now know that developing fetuses and children are the most vulnerable to the effects of mercury contamination. The threat is so severe that the government and other groups such as the National Academy of Sciences recommend that pregnant and nursing mothers not eat more than 6 ounces of fish per month.

"The health effects of mercury contamination are:

Impaired memory
Mental retardation
Reflex and visual abnormalities
Seizure disorders
Cerebral palsy
Blindness and deafness
Loss of motor function
Lowered IQ
Abnormal muscle tone

"The EPA estimates that 630,000 children may be born in the US every year with neurological problems due to their in-utero mercury exposure. That’s about 16 percent of the 4 million children born every year.

"We all know as adults that it’s not getting any easier to find your way in the world. And for those kids poisoned by mercury, the world will always be a continuous maze with roadblocks in the form of physical and mental disabilities, reliance on others for basic needs, and the diminished ability to reach their dreams. We are everyone responsible for this injustice. Our lack of action and our shortsighted policy in generating electricity is robbing our children of their right to freedom, justice and the pursuit of happiness.

"I am asking each of you to do your part to make a difference – start today by conserving your use of electricity at home and end by converting our source of electricity from coal-fired power plants to alternative energy sources.

"Thank you for your time.

"I am a mother and my name is Elizabeth Callicoat."