Evangelicals Launch Campaign Supporting Life, EPA Mercury Regulations

According to Christian Newswire, evangelical leaders and pastors have launched a radio ad and letter-writing campaign asking pro-life members of Congress to stop trying to remove EPA regulations on mercury pollution, because those regulations were intended to prevent mercury poisining in the unborn. In one of the ads, Rev. Tracy Bianchi described the permanent brain damage and developmental challenges mercury poisoning causes in the unborn. "I expect members of Congress who are pro-life to use their power to protect life, especially in the unborn," she said. Mitch Hescox, president of the Evangelical Environmental Network, said, "For the life of me, I can't understand why some are trying to block the EPA from regulating mercury levels when they know the unborn will pay the price." One in six babies born in the U.S. has harmful blood levels of mercury, which is consumed by pregnant mothers when they eat contaminated fish.