EPA Repeals Mercury Air Toxics Standards, Saves $78M
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- EPA finalized the repeal of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) that the Biden administration had strengthened in 2024, rolling them back to the 2012 levels set by the Obama administration.
- EPA says the weakened standards will save $78 million per year starting in 2028.
- Trump administration says the deregulation aims to make it easier to quickly construct new data centers and fossil‑fuel infrastructure, including keeping coal plants online.
- Nicholas Morales of Earthjustice warned the repeal wipes out health protections critical for protecting children from mercury exposure.
- Trump accepted the Washington Coal Club’s inaugural “Undisputed Champion of Beautiful, Clean Coal” award earlier this month.
- Tennessee Valley Authority decided to keep two coal plants open, citing growing power demand from AI data centers.
Why it matters: The EPA estimates the rule rollback will save the coal industry about $78 million a year in compliance costs, but environmental groups warn that the loss of mercury protections could increase neurodevelopmental risks for children and strain public health resources. The move also fits the administration’s deregulation push to speed up AI data‑center construction, which is driving higher electricity demand.
