Federal officials are preparing to announce a rollback of pollution controls on coal-fired power plants this week that would permit higher emissions of hazardous substances, most notably mercury, according to a report published Wednesday by the New York Times.
Senior U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials are due to make the policy change public on Friday during a visit to Louisville, Kentucky, the report said. The administration's planned move would relax existing limits on pollutants emitted by coal-burning generators.
The EPA's rationale for loosening the mercury limits, as set out in internal agency documents cited in the report, focuses on lowering what the agency describes as "unwarranted costs" borne by utilities that operate coal plants across the country. Those internal analyses estimate the regulatory adjustment could produce financial savings for companies of up to $670 million over the 2028-2037 period.
Mercury is identified in the reporting as a neurotoxin that can impair brain development in infants. The policy change under consideration would allow increased emissions of mercury alongside other hazardous pollutants from coal-fired generation.
The details provided in the agency documents, as reported, emphasize cost relief for the utility sector while noting the health characteristics of mercury. The announcement is scheduled for later this week as EPA officials travel to Kentucky to present the adjustment to current pollution limits.
Clear summary
The administration intends to relax emissions limits for coal-burning power plants, enabling higher releases of hazardous pollutants including mercury. The EPA is expected to announce the change Friday in Louisville, with internal documents saying the move is meant to reduce "unwarranted costs" for utilities and could save companies as much as $670 million between 2028 and 2037.
Context and implications (as reported)
- The policy change focuses on coal-fired power plants and would affect emissions of hazardous pollutants, with mercury specifically named.
- The EPA's internal materials cite potential cost savings for utilities as the central rationale for the regulatory rollback.
- The agency's estimate of savings covers a decade-long window from 2028 through 2037 and is presented as an aggregate figure for affected companies.
Key points
- The administration will loosen restrictions on emissions from coal-burning power plants, allowing higher levels of hazardous pollutants including mercury.
- Senior EPA officials are scheduled to announce the policy adjustment in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday.
- The EPA's internal documents frame the change as a way to cut "unwarranted costs" for utilities and estimate up to $670 million in savings for companies between 2028 and 2037.
Risks and uncertainties (supported by the report)
- Mercury is described in the reporting as a neurotoxin that can harm infant brain development, indicating potential public-health risks from allowing increased emissions.
- The change would permit higher emissions of hazardous pollutants from coal plants, a development that raises questions about environmental and health impacts tied directly to the policy shift.
- Details on the magnitude and specific scope of increased emissions beyond the mention of mercury are not provided in the reporting, leaving some uncertainty about the full environmental consequences.