Madison -- More than 1,000 scientists, academics, natural resource managers, environmental managers and policymakers will gather Sunday-Friday, Aug. 6-11, in Madison for the Eighth International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant.

Eligible media representatives will receive complimentary registration for all presentations, abstracts, advance materials and use of newsroom facilities during conference hours.

Throughout the week, conferees will consider a conference declaration summarizing the findings of four expert panels, each of which is addressing policy-relevant issues pertaining to environmental mercury pollution. The declaration will be the first such statement produced by this series of international conferences.

A news conference will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 11, in Hall E on Level 5 of the Monona Terrace Convention Center. The room is equipped with a "mult" box to record sound directly from the microphones.

Registered reporters will receive an advance copy of the declaration on the morning of Aug. 11, prior to the press conference. Reporters who cannot attend in person are invited to access the declaration online and participate via conference call. E-mail media@mercury2006.org to receive telephone call-in information for the news conference.

News conference speakers include:

• Steve Lindberg, emeritus fellow, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (source attribution of atmospheric mercury);

• Donna Mergler, professor of biological sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal (methylmercury exposure and health effects in humans);

• John Munthe, department head, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute (recovery of mercury-contaminated fisheries);

• Tony Scheuhammer, research scientist, Environment Canada (effects of methylmercury exposure on the health of wild birds, mamm
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