Right now, there are no national limits on hazardous air pollution such as mercury, arsenic, and lead. Unbelievable, right?
This pollution is making us sick — causing asthma, developmental problems for children, and even death. But there’s good news.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is writing rules to update the Clean Air Act and limit hazardous pollution from coal-fired power plants. The new rules could reduce mercury pollution in Michigan by 90 percent.
We need the EPA to write a strong rule to protect public health, and that won’t happen if they only hear from Big Coal’s lobbyists. But, if we pack the hearing room with people who support clean air, we can show the EPA they have the support they need to stand strong!
Follow along with us on Twitter and in the comments below as we travel to Chicago!
Check out the mercury factsheet here.
We need to tell the Environmental Protection Agency:
- We need better standards to protect us from life-threatening pollution that power plants spew into our air and water.
- We all need clean air and water. But right now, there are no national limits on the amount of air toxics that power plants can spew into the air.
- Mercury is toxic and is a threat, especially to our children, babies, and babies-on-the-way. Mercury exposure can cause neurological and developmental problems like learning disabilities.
- Mercury pollution puts everyone who eats fish at risk for harmful health effects.
- We need EPA to protect us from mercury pollution, with national limits for power plants.
- Cleaning up mercury means safer fish. All 50 states have advisory warnings against eating certain fish because of mercury contamination.
- EPA mercury standards will help our economy. New protections can reduce the costs of health care for people sick from toxic pollution, and create jobs installing pollution-control equipment on power plants.
- Dirty energy corporations are putting their bottom lines before our children’s health. We need EPA to hold Big Coal and corporate polluters accountable.