“The science is clear, and profoundly alarming. No amount of mercury is safe for babies’ developing brains,” said Moms’ Director and Co-Founder, Dominique Browning, in a statement released on Friday about EPA’s decision to roll back vital recent updates to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS).
MATS, which was strengthened for the first time in a decade under the Biden administration, plays a critical role in protecting children from the dangerous neurotoxin mercury and other forms of hazardous pollution from coal-fired power plants. Since the rule’s initial implementation in 2012, mercury pollution has dropped by 86%.
“But now,” said Dominique, “EPA Administrator Zeldin’s rollback … will allow coal plants to emit more toxic heavy metals like mercury, chromium, and lead—pollutants that contaminate our air, fall into our lakes and waterways, and poison our food supply. This is no way to make America healthy again.”
Tell Congress: Hold Zeldin Accountable for Corrupting EPA’s Mission
In the U.S., the most prominent source of mercury pollution is coal-fired power plants, a dirty source of energy the Trump administration is eager to support. Mercury is naturally occurring in coal, and when it’s burned for energy, it’s released into the air. It enters our food chain through rivers and lakes, contaminating fish at a much higher rate than in the surrounding waters.
Mercury is especially dangerous for developing children, babies, and pregnant women. When pregnant women ingest contaminated fish, it can cross the placenta and impact a child’s ability to walk, talk, read, and learn. It also has the potential to cause behavioral issues and is linked to cardiovascular issues, increasing the risk of heart attacks.
“Moms Clean Air Force has been fighting for over a decade to cut dangerous mercury pollution—along with numerous other toxic air pollutants, from arsenic to acid gases—from coal-fired power plants,” Dominique continued. “The solutions are at hand: scrubbers work and pollution control is not expensive.”
Yet once again, Zeldin is prioritizing polluters over people’s health, and Moms will not stand down. “We will continue to advocate for the strong pollution protections and clean air our children deserve,” said Dominique.
Join us by calling on Congress to hold Administrator Zeldin accountable for corrupting EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment.
Tell Congress: Hold Zeldin Accountable for Corrupting EPA’s Mission