{"id":4881,"date":"2014-04-15T11:56:46","date_gmt":"2014-04-15T16:56:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=4881"},"modified":"2014-04-15T13:06:03","modified_gmt":"2014-04-15T18:06:03","slug":"toxic-mercury-pollution-limits-survive-major-court-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2014\/04\/15\/toxic-mercury-pollution-limits-survive-major-court-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Toxic mercury pollution limits survive major court challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"

(This post was co-authored by Pamela Campos<\/a>, Attorney, and Mandy Warner<\/a>, Climate & Air Policy Specialist)<\/em><\/p>\n

Some environmental threats are hard to explain. Toxic mercury is not. A dangerous neurotoxin that threatens young children, developing babies, and others, almost everyone reacts viscerally at the idea of ingesting it. And the scientific evidence endorses that instinctive response.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why today\u2019s decision by a federal court to uphold the EPA\u2019s Mercury and Air Toxics rule is cause for celebration. For decades, power plants have been spewing out mercury. It ends up in our lakes and rivers, in fish, and ultimately in our bodies. It\u2019s been closing favorite fishing holes and, more ominously, delaying mental development for our children. Even spiders in the Sonoran desert and trout in Colorado\u2019s highest mountain lakes are affected.<\/p>\n

When the EPA finally issued rules under the Clean Air Act to limit mercury pollution, the owners of the dirtiest power plants sued to stop it. Just like with every other major air pollution rule, they claimed it would be unaffordable, ignoring clear evidence that clean air protections are consistently shown to have public health benefits that far exceed the pollution control costs.<\/p>\n

So this morning\u2019s decision is a big deal for protecting our health. The court was sweeping in its denial of industry challenges, confirming that EPA\u2019s technical and legal judgment was sound.<\/p>\n

While some power companies are investing in lawyers and lobbyists to obstruct these vital health protections, other power companies are investing in clean air solutions. The reality on the ground shows that many power companies are already complying with the rule. Compliance costs fall as new standards are implemented. The health benefits of preventing exposure to toxic pollution are lifelong.<\/p>\n

While some opponents claimed it would not be possible to install controls before the rule took effect, but as of the end of 2012, the Energy Information Administration recently reported that 70% of coal-fired capacity already meets the *standards<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Power companies such as American Electric Power, Southern Company and First Energy that fought EPA\u2019s clean air protections claimed the costs would be too high to make pollution reductions. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced the final Mercury and Air Toxics Standards on December 21, 2011 at Children\u2019s Hospital in Washington, D.C. Within months of EPA\u2019s announcement, these same power companies were adjusting their cost estimates downward and touting to investors that the compliance costs with the historic Mercury and Air Toxics Standards were plummeting:<\/p>\n