The Trump administration has decided to roll back a rule established during the Biden era that aimed to limit mercury emissions from power plants. Mercury is a harmful neurotoxin that can impact the brain development of young children.
This rollback primarily affects coal-fired power plants. The Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (MATS) was originally put in place in 2012 under President Obama. It significantly reduced mercury and other pollutants by 90%. A more recent update in 2024 aimed for even greater reductions and required plants to install monitoring equipment to report their emissions.
Last year, Trump exempted 71 coal plants from these stricter rules. Now, this latest move could lift regulations for the entire coal industry, bringing them back to the 2012 standards.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated that this decision will allow economic growth while still protecting health and the environment. Michelle Bloodworth, president of America’s Power—a coal plant trade group—echoed this sentiment, saying the rollback is vital for maintaining a reliable electricity supply and supporting the economy.
Interestingly, the EPA estimated that this rollback would save the utility industry $78 million each year from 2028 to 2037. However, the agency also found that the rollback would not affect electricity rates at all. Last year, U.S. utilities requested about $30 billion in rate increases to manage greater energy demands driven by advancements in AI and other technologies.
The EPA also projected that the tighter standards would have led to a 23% reduction in mercury emissions from power plants by 2035. Critics, including John Walke from the Natural Resources Defense Fund, warn that this decision may allow coal plants to operate with fewer pollution controls, potentially harming local communities.
Environmental organizations are planning to appeal this decision, asserting that it undermines prior efforts to keep air clean. They argue that the new ruling could let coal plants pollute more often without having to report their emissions.
With coal plants nearing the end of their operational life, maintaining regulation is seen as crucial for ensuring a stable energy grid. As society pushes for cleaner energy and sustainable practices, this decision may spark debates about the balance between economic growth and environmental protection.
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