Blocked a rule that would’ve limited the discharge of metal neurotoxins and other pollutants from power plants directly into public waterways.
For decades coal-fired power plants have been allowed to dump toxic water (a by-product of coal-based power) laden with arsenic, lead, mercury and other harmful pollutants directly into rivers and streams.
Finally in 2015, then-President Obama’s EPA issued a rule to halt and reduce the publicly hazardous behavior. But before the rule could even take effect – and to the great misfortune of the millions of Americans living downstream from such dump sites – President Trump’s EPA announced an indefinite delay to the rules implementation.
Status
Sept. 18th, 2017 RULE DELAYED INDEFINITELY
The EPA led by then-administrator Scott Pruitt announced it will delay implementing the rules most important health protections (those pertaining to waste from coal-fired power plants).
Power Plant Water Pollution Rule | Brookings Deregulation Tracker
Nov. 22nd, 2019 PROPOSED WEAKENING REGULATION
Power Plant Effluent Limits | Harvard Environmental & Energy Law Program
Notables
- The EPA estimated in 2015 that the rule would reduce the discharge of 1,400,000,000 pounds of toxic metals and other pollutants.
Trump’s EPA Made It Easier for Coal Plants to Pollute Waterways | Scientific American (9.24.18)
- The Centers for Biological Diversity announced it would sue Trumps EPA, accusing it of violating the Endangered Species Act by delaying the rules implementation.
Lawsuit Fights Trump’s Delay of Lifesaving Limits on Coal-plant Water Pollution | Center for Biological Diversity (1.30.18)
