Mercury and Air Toxics Standards For Power Plant Emissions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for power plant emissions of mercury and air toxics arsenic, acid gas, nickel, selenium, and cyanide. Power plants are the largest remaining source of several toxic air pollutants, including mercury, arsenic, cyanide, and a range of other pollutants, and emit about half of the mercury and over 75% of the acid gas emissions in the United States. More than half of all coal-fired power plants already deploy pollution control technologies that meet these achievable standards. Once final, the remaining plants take similar steps to decrease emissions.

The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards are being issued in response to a court deadline. Congress passed the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments and mandated that EPA require control of toxic air pollutants including mercury. The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which was issued earlier this year, both reduce power plant emissions.

Caltha LLP provides specialized expertise to clients nationwide in the evaluation environmental rules, developing EH&S compliance procedures, and preparing cost-effective EH&S management programs.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at

info@calthacompany.com or Caltha LLP Website