CAC’s Alt on Zeldin’s Gutting of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 19, 2025
Contact: Gabrielle Levy, glevy@cacampaign.org
CAC’s Alt on Zeldin’s Gutting of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards
Trump and Zeldin are treating people as though they are expendable.
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin is shortly expected to release a final rule that weakens an air pollution safeguard designed to limit mercury, arsenic, and other toxic pollution from power plants. These standards were created to reduce health risks, especially for pregnant women, infants, and other vulnerable people.
The change weakens the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), a major federal protection that has been in place for more than a decade and is credited with cutting mercury pollution by 90% and reducing other dangerous pollutants that put our families and communities at risk. Undermining the standard will make people sicker, increasing dangerous pollution that causes brain damage in babies, cancer, and other cardiovascular and lung diseases.
The following is a statement from CAC Director, Margie Alt, on this action:
“For over a decade, the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards have delivered undeniable public health benefits, protecting the most vulnerable among us from horrific birth defects, illnesses and even death. The decision to unleash more of these dangerous pollutants on our communities is clear evidence of the Trump administration’s utter disregard for people’s lives and our health. Clearly, they think we are expendable and that adhering to science is optional.
"This proposal, especially coming just days after they rescinded the Endangerment Finding, shows Trump and Zeldin will stop at nothing to undermine science-based pollution protections and sacrifice our air, lungs, and lives in the service of a Polluters First Agenda. Instead of protecting American families, Trump and Zeldin choose to serve the interests of their powerful polluter allies.”
###
About the Climate Action Campaign
Climate Action Campaign (CAC) is a vibrant coalition driving ambitious, durable, equitable federal action to tackle the climate crisis. By cutting carbon pollution and accelerating the transition to clean energy, we will improve public health and create a more resilient economy and a more sustainable future for all.
