{Washington, D.C.}...Testifying before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Wednesday, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson told members she has signed a policy setting new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for coal and oil-fired power plants. The rules will require power companies to install equipment to control emissions to cut back on mercury, arsenic, acid gas, nickel, selenium, and cyanide. Jackson says the standards were first discussed in connection with the 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act but only about 50 percent of companies that operate coal-fired power plants have made changes. The new standards will force everyone to do so. Jackson was criticized during Wednesday's meeting about what many have called the over-reaching nature of the Obama administration's EPA.
