Today EPA announced 4 new or updated rules to protect our health. Four!! We’re so excited thinking about all the ways people will be able to thrive, from children to older adults!
- The first rule is the carbon pollution rule that was open for comment about a year ago. This rule applies to existing coal and new gas power plants. The rule requires them to control 90% of their carbon pollution (carbon dioxide or CO2). This rule means over a billion tons of CO2 will not go into the air, and tens of thousands of tons of fine particles (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NO2 or NOx), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). It also means less ozone because NO2 is a chemical that helps make ozone on hot days. This means over a thousand prevented deaths, almost a thousand hospital and ED visits that won’t happen, almost 2,000 people not developing asthma, and over 300,000 people not having asthma symptoms. The health savings alone are about $20 billion per year, far more than the cost of implementing this plan. Here is the link to the Carbon Pollution GHG rule.
- The second rule is a stronger Mercury and Air Toxics rule (also called MATS). It reduces mercury by 70% in coal plants that weren’t included in the original 2012 MATS, and further reduces hazardous metals such as lead, arsenic, chromium, and nickel. It will reduce over 700 tons of PM, and 7 yons of hazardous metals air pollution. This will really benefit health, because mercury and the other heavy metals are so toxic, and some are carcinogenic. It is especially good for communities near the power plants, because heavy metals tend to deposit closer to the smokestacks. This will help reduce exposure disparities caused by environmental racism, because our country built more power plants in or near communities of color. Here is the link to the updated MATS rule.
- The third rule is stronger limits on water pollution from power plants. Power plants use a lot of water, and when it goes back into rivers it contains many pollutants: mercury, arsenic, selenium, nickel, bromide, chloride, and iodide, and nutrient pollution. These pollutants can cause cancer, kidney and liver damage, heart disease, and developmental problems in children. Again this will help reduce exposure and resulting health disparities caused by the environmental racism of where power plants have been built. This rule will prevent 660 million pounds of pollution from getting in our water, and will provide $3 billion in health benefits. Here is the link to the power plant water pollution rule.
- The fourth rule is for coal ash disposal at legacy (closed) power plants and coal ash ponds that are no longer being used. This rule will require groundwater monitoring, corrective action, closure, and it has requirements for coal ash ponds after they’re closed. Here is the link for the coal ash rule. Here is the link for the coal ash rule.
These rules all protect our health by preventing pollution in our air and water, they will help many thousands of people stay healthier and thrive, and they are really good for children who are so much more susceptible to health and developmental problems from pollution.
Yay!! We are so thrilled with all these health rules!!! Healthy air, healthy people!!!
04/25/2024 AKMB
