Sixty-eight coal plants can now release more mercury, arsenic, and other heavy metals known to damage children’s brain development, trigger asthma attacks, and cause cancer.
Community and environmental groups represented by Earthjustice sued the Trump administration over its unlawful decision to exempt dozens of coal-fired power plants from stronger pollution limits set in the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, or MATS. The exemptions, issued in April, allow 68 coal power plants to release more mercury, arsenic, and other heavy metals known to damage children’s brain development, trigger asthma attacks, and cause cancer.
Massive quantities of coal ash are stored at ten power plant sites in Maryland. All but one of these sites include older ash dumps that industry is only now beginning to quantify and monitor.
74 organizations respectfully submit this letter in reference to Kern County’s proposed “Revisions to Title 19-Kern County Zoning Ordinance (2025-A) Focused on Oil and Gas Local Permitting”