Sixteen national and state environmental, clean air and public health groups intervened today to defend the Environmental Protection Agency against industry lawsuits aimed at blocking landmark protections to clean up toxic mercury pollution, acid gases and other hazardous air toxics from dirty power plants. Earthjustice attorney James Pew was part of the legal team representing the coalition.

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that threatens the development of prenatal babies and young children.

The groups taking action include the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Lung Association, American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Conservation Law Foundation, Environment America, Environmental Defense Fund, Izaak Walton League of America, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Natural Resources Defense Council, Ohio Environmental Council, PennFuture, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Sierra Club and Waterkeeper Alliance.

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that threatens the development of prenatal babies and young children. An estimated 400,000 children are born each year with dangerous mercury levels in their blood. The EPA’s protections would cut toxic mercury pollution, acid gases and other air toxics like arsenic, chromium, nickel and selenium from dirty power plants. The vast majority of Americans support this important cleanup of toxic pollution.

On February 16, polluter interest groups like the National Mining Association filed the first lawsuits to block long overdue action to clean up toxic mercury pollution, acid gases and other hazardous air toxics.

Read the Motion to Intervene.