Court Upholds Power Plant Mercury Pollution Rule

A federal appeals court has upheld the the EPA’s first-ever national standards for mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants, despite a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the rule, saying the agency failed to take into account the costs the air pollution rule would impose on utilities.

The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the EPA is allowed to enforce the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) while it works to address the Supreme Court’s concern.

The EPA initially issued the standards in late 2011 and said they would cut mercury pollution by 90 percent. In 2012, the agency agreed to review those limits after a challenge by industry before finalizing the pollution regulations a year later.

Photo Credit: coal power plant via Shutterstock