EPA's New Rules on Coal Plants Pollution

The Environmental Protection Agency on December 21, 2011 issued new standards limiting the emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from the nation's coal- and oil-burning power plants. The standards, if become effective, will be the first such effective means to enforce strict rules on emissions of mercury, arsenic, acid gases and other poisonous and carcinigenic chemicals. The standrads have been taken almost 20 years to formulate. The standards are known as the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards.