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Press Release February 9, 2024

EPA’s Delayed Mercury Limits for Taconite Plants Fall Short

The rule doesn’t reduce taconite facilities’ dangerous mercury emissions enough

The Cheswick Generating Station in 2010. Prior to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, oil-burning and coal-burning power plants largely avoided restrictions on emissions of hazardous air pollution. (Chris Jordan-Bloch / Earthjustice)
feature March 20, 2024

Historic Environmental Protections are Up Against the Deadline

The Biden administration must get rulemakings over the finish line this spring to solidify climate and health protections ahead of political uncertainty.

A threatened Mardon skipper butterfly basks in the sun at Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. This butterfly is native to the Pacific Northwest region of North America and relies on specific grasses such as Idaho Fescue and Bluebunch Wheatgrass as host plants. The Mardon skipper is a species of conservation concern and its populations have been declining due to habitat loss and degradation. (Seth Coulter / BLM)
Press Release March 25, 2024

Supreme Court Denies Timber Industry Requests to Review Expansion of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

Decision ensures that southwest Oregon rivers, fish, and wildlife remain protected

page March 13, 2024

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In the News: MinnPost February 15, 2024

Minnesota tribes say EPA’s taconite mercury emission rules don’t go far enough

James Pew, Attorney, Washington, D.C., Office: “That just isn’t enough. The EPA could fix this.”

The Cheswick coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania, reflected in a window of a home in Springdale, is among the hundreds of power plants likely covered by the Mercury & Air Toxics Standards.
(Chris Jordan-Bloch / Earthjustice)
feature April 5, 2023

The Mercury & Air Toxics Standards

When coal is burned in the U.S., most of the mercury in the coal no longer spews into our air — thanks to a federal rule that Earthjustice and our clients fought for and continue to defend.

In the News: The New York Times March 14, 2024

E.P.A. Sets Limits on Carcinogenic Gas Used to Sterilize Medical Devices

Patrice Simms, VP of Litigation for Healthy Communities: “Today is an important step forward in regulating toxic ethylene oxide emissions from commercial sterilization facilities, but there is still a lot of work to do.”

Press Release May 11, 2023

EPA Proposes Rule to Reduce Harmful Mercury Emissions Ruining Minnesota’s Waters

The rule would reduce taconite, or iron ore, mercury emissions from processing plants

“EPA is sentencing entire segments of the population to a poisoned death,” said Caroline Armijo (left) of N.C. Read her story, and those of Nicole Horseherder of Ariz., and Tom Sedor of Penn., in the special report, <a href="//earthjustice.org/lives"><em>Erasing Lives</em></a>.
(From left: Justin Cook for Earthjustice. Darcy Padilla. Chris Knight.)
feature May 13, 2021

Special Report: The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards

Three Americans living near power plants share how they will be harmed by the gutting of the Mercury & Air Toxics Standards.

(Maciej Toporowicz / Getty Images)
From the Experts March 11, 2024

Washington Gas is Betting Against the Climate, and Your Health, with Billions of Your Money

Washington D.C. residents should not have to pay for Washington Gas’s bad investments.

A fishing crew member carries a salmon to the hold of boat in Washington State. (Thomas Barwick / Getty images)
Press Release February 22, 2024

Swinomish Tribal Community Demands EPA Act to Stop Harm to Lower Skagit River Salmon From Temperature Pollution

Ongoing violations of temperature standards for 20 years harm ESA-listed salmon populations; Tribe provides notice to sue EPA

Press Release February 17, 2023

EPA Reaffirms Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Will Save Lives

Reducing mercury and air toxins emissions has saved more than 11,000 lives and a stronger standard could prevent even more deaths

document February 9, 2024

EPA’s Taconite Final Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issues decades-overdue standards to control mercury and other toxic emissions from taconite iron ore processing plants.

In the News: The New York Times February 29, 2024

E.P.A. to Exempt Existing Gas Plants From Tough New Rules, for Now.

Abigail Dillen, President, Earthjustice: “There’s no good way to regulate fossil gas plants without regulating all of them.”

After years of inaction by the federal government, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed long-overdue limits on six PFAS in drinking water. (Getty Images)
feature February 29, 2024

Inside EPA’s Roadmap on Regulating PFAS Chemicals

Toxic “forever chemicals” remain laxly regulated.

In the News: Denton Record-Chronicle February 28, 2024

Texas bitcoin miners don’t have to report energy usage yet; Denton touts selling renewables

Thom Cmar, Attorney, Clean Energy Program: “The EIA collects this type information from every energy user in the U.S., so there is no question that they have the authority to collect this information. It’s just a question of whether this industry is willing to cooperate by making this information publicly available to the extent it…

Press Release September 26, 2023

EPA Proposed Rule Leaves Trump-Era Air Toxics Loophole in Place

The proposed rule fails communities by allowing polluters to dodge requirements to control and monitor the most toxic pollutants

In the News: CNN February 21, 2024

Supreme Court signals skepticism over Biden ‘good neighbor’ smog plan

Sam Sankar, Senior Vice President of Programs: “Polluting industries always challenge pollution regulations because it costs them money to protect our health. We’re hoping that a few members of the court’s right-wing supermajority will remember that they shouldn’t be second-guessing sound judgments about what’s best for our kids’ lungs.”