{"id":25771,"date":"2026-03-06T10:16:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T15:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=25771"},"modified":"2026-03-06T12:16:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T17:16:57","slug":"new-analysis-shows-a-clear-need-for-stronger-protections-from-coal-plant-mercury-pollution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2026\/03\/06\/new-analysis-shows-a-clear-need-for-stronger-protections-from-coal-plant-mercury-pollution\/","title":{"rendered":"New analysis shows a clear need for stronger protections from coal plant mercury pollution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

(This post was co-authored by EDF technical analyst <\/em>Grace Hauser<\/em><\/a>)\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Trump administration has rolled back the 2024 Mercury and\u202fAir Toxics Standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those standards guard against mercury, arsenic,\u202f\u202flead and other dangerous pollution from coal-fired power plants \u2013 pollution that causes brain damage\u202fin\u202fbabies, cancer, and serious heart and lung diseases.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But at Environmental Defense Fund, we just did an analysis of 2025\u00a0coal plant mercury data\u00a0that shows\u00a0a\u00a0clear need for stronger<\/em> protections \u2014 not\u00a0their abandonment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That new data is included in our map of the top 30 mercury-polluting power plants<\/a>, which you can see below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Map<\/a>
Map of Top\u202f30 Highest Mercury-Emitting Coal-Fired Power Plants in 2025\u202f(Produced by\u202fEDF.\u202fData from EPA\u2019s\u202fClean Air Markets Program Data (CAMPD)<\/a>: MATS emissions,\u202fcoal\u202fand coal refuse plants, operating hours only.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our updated map shows significant mercury emissions concentrated near a small set of high-emitting facilities in North Dakota and Texas, many of which burn lignite coal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lignite coal is an especially dirty power source. It contains higher levels of mercury and other toxics than other types of coal, and more lignite coal must be burned to generate power compared to other types of coal, which then produces even more emissions.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, lignite coal plants were allowed to release more than three times<\/em><\/strong> as much mercury as other coal plants. The 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards closed this loophole, and required lignite plants to meet the same mercury pollution standard that all other coal plants have been subject to since 2012. Now, with the Trump EPA\u2019s repeal, the lignite loophole is reopened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s more highlights from our updated analysis:<\/p>\n\n\n\n