EPA Issues Mercury And Air Toxics Standards
- {Washington, D.C.}...The federal EPA issued the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Wednesday. The rules will require power companies to install equipment to control emissions to cut back on mercury, arsenic, acid gas, nickel, selenium, and cyanide. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson says, the rules which will require a 90 percent reduction in the total amount of mercury emitted by coal-fired power plants, is "the biggest Clean Air action yet." The rules are to be fully implemented by 2016. Power companies will have three years to make the changes but may be given a fourth year if the installation of the new equipment is taking place. There will also be additional consideration if taking a plant off line could impact electric reliability. United Mine Workers Union President Cecil Roberts says the Obama administration and the federal EPA have become tone-deaf when it comes to issues impacting coal miners and their families. Roberts says the standards will cause the "premature" closing of power plants and create the potential loss of 56,000 megawatts of power.
