Trump Proposal Would Allow Power Plants To Pollute More<\/b><\/p>\n
A proposal by acting EPA Administrator, Andrew R. Wheeler,\u00a0 signed yesterday and submitted by the the EPA would lay the ground work for repealing Mercury and Air Toxics Standards first enacted in 2011 according<\/a> to the New York Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cReworking the mercury rule, which the E.P.A. considers the priciest clean air regulation ever put forth in terms of annual cost to industry, would represent a victory for the coal industry, and in particular for Robert E. Murray, an important former client of Mr. Wheeler\u2019s from his days as a lobbyist. Mr. Murray, the chief executive of Murray Energy Corporation,\u00a0personally requested the rollback of the mercury rule\u00a0<\/a>soon after Mr. Trump took office, \u201d the story said<\/p>\n The Times said the limits on mercury, \u201cset in 2011, were the\u00a0first\u00a0federal standards to restrict some of the most hazardous pollutants emitted by coal plants and were considered one of former President Barack Obama\u2019s signature environmental achievements. Since then, scientists have said, mercury pollution from power plants has declined more than 80 percent nationwide.\u201d<\/p>\n The public will have 60 days to comment on it before a final rule is issued.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n