Council Applauds U.S. EPA’s First Ever National Emissions Limits for Mercury and other Air Toxins
Mercury pollution poses a threat to human health – especially that of young children and developing fetuses. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working on a long-overdue national Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (MATS). The new standard for coal-fired power plants is set to be finalized on December 16th and announced on December 19, 2011. This standard will provide the first ever national regulation of toxic air emissions from coal-fired power plants and other industrial facilities.
After coordinating efforts around the EPA’s public comment hearing on May 24th in Philadelphia, which drew over 150 moms, doctors, fishermen, faith leaders and more to rally and testify in support of this rule, Clean Air Council is excited for the new mercury standards to finally be announced. Mercury and other toxics are a threat to human life; exposure to mercury has been linked to brain damage and neurological and developmental problems, including learning disabilities. The new standards are especially needed in Pennsylvania – the second highest state for mercury pollution. Coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania emit approximately 15,550 lbs of mercury each year. As a consequence of these toxic emissions, an estimated 1,359 premature deaths occur in Pennsylvania every year.
Furthermore, at least one in 12—and as many as one in six—women of childbearing age has mercury levels in her body that are high enough to put a developing fetus at risk. The MATS will have a significant impact on improving public health; in 2015 the standards are estimated to prevent 17,000 premature deaths, 11,000 heart attacks, 120,000 asthma attacks, 12,200 hospital visits, and 4,500 cases of chronic bronchitis.
In addition to mercury, air toxics emitted from power plants and other major industrial sources include acid gases, benzene, dioxins and furans, formaldehyde, lead, arsenic, and radioactive materials like radium and uranium. Decreasing air toxics will also lead to reductions in other dangerous pollutants, especially particulate matter. The coal burning process produces fine particles (or PM 2.5) that can travel deep into the lungs, worsening asthma and bronchitis and resulting in increased number of heart attacks, strokes and premature deaths.
Decreasing toxic pollution from coal-fired power plants also creates significant benefits to the economy. The new public health protections will save Americans money in the form of avoided sick days and avoided health care costs. The MATS will also create over 30,000 short-term construction jobs and 9,000 long-term utility jobs.
There is growing pressure from polluting industries to weaken or delay the pollution reduction standards. Clean Air Council welcomes the new protections that will save families from mercury and air toxic contamination and applauds EPA for taking this important action. Especially in Pennsylvania, which houses 25 of the worst polluting facilities in the entire country, these common sense approaches are needed to protect public health and reduce dangerous mercury emissions.
