The Environmental Integrity Project released a report yesterday detailing the nation’s biggest mercury polluters:

Texas is home to the largest mercury emitter– Luminant’s Martin Lake power plant, which reported a 4.56 percent increase from 2007 to 2008. In fact, the Lone Star State claims five of the 10 largest power plant mercury air pollution sites in the nation. Dallas-based Luminant (formerly TXU) has three of the nation’s top five largest mercury emitters, in terms of total pounds emitted, all operating in East Texas.

We’re not talking about planetary emissions. The element mercury cripples the brains of little kids:

Each year, more than 300,000 newborn babies may have an increased risk of learning disabilities due to in utero exposure to mercury, which is a neurotoxin that causes impaired neurological development in fetuses, infants and children.

Ah, but little kids don’t give campaign contributions. Big mercury-spewing corporations like Luminant (formerly named TXU and owned by Energy Future Holdings) throw big campaign money parties. U.S. Representative Chet Edwards of Texas was thrown a big fundraising party by Energy Future Holdings and Luminant in denominations of $500, $1000 and $2000. Chet Edwards used his congressional influence to swing exemptions for Luminant power plants from mercury pollution restrictions at its coal-fired plants.

Chet Edwards wins campaign cash. Luminant wins the right to keep spewing mercury into the air. Kids get brain damage. Kids are such chumps.

Tags: chet edwards, coal, corruption, energy future holdings, environmental integrity project, exemptions, luminant, mercury, neurotoxin, poisoning, power plants, texas, txu