Most US coal plants could meet air pollution rules. Trump weakened them anyway

"Such pollution is known to be neurotoxic and has been linked to irreversible brain damage in children and infants, as well as heart disease and cancer in adults. Stricter limits were placed on mercury, lead and arsenic pollution in 2024 under Joe Biden's administration, updating the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (Mats) first enacted in 2012, but have now been ditched by Trump."

"The EPA's own previous analysis shows that only 27 coal plants across the US, out of around 219 total coal facilities, would have to adopt any sort of technological upgrade, such as filters in their smokestacks, to meet the stronger standards. This means that the safeguards have been entirely reversed by the Trump administration in order to allow a minority of the US's dirtiest, most unhealthy coal plants to continue as they are."

"It's infuriating that this rollback is happening given that only a small number of coal plants would have to make upgrades, said Surbhi Sarang, senior attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). We can easily have a reliable grid and cleaner air at the same time, we have the technology to do so."

The Trump administration reversed strict mercury and air toxics standards established under Biden's administration in 2024, which had updated the original 2012 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). These standards limited emissions of dangerous pollutants including mercury, lead, and arsenic from coal plants. Mercury and heavy metal pollution is neurotoxic and linked to irreversible brain damage in children and infants, as well as heart disease and cancer in adults. The EPA's own analysis showed only 27 of approximately 219 coal plants would require technological upgrades to comply. The rollback allows the dirtiest coal plants in Wyoming, Texas, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to continue operating without meeting stricter environmental standards.

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