Power Plant Carbon Pollution, Mercury Standards Rollbacks Would Make Americans Sicker, Less Safe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2025

Contact: Gabrielle Levy, glevy@cacampaign.org

Power Plant Carbon Pollution, Mercury Standards Rollbacks Would Make Americans Sicker, Less Safe

Trump and Zeldin’s rollbacks put polluters first.

WASHINGTON–On Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to release a proposal that would dismantle standards that restrict dangerous carbon pollution from power plants, and another that would dismantle standards that limit mercury and air toxics pollution from power plants, according to news reports. With their Polluters First Agenda, Donald Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin are exposing millions of Americans to more pollution and putting the profits of big polluters over people. These actions would increase dangerous pollution that raises the likelihood of extreme weather events such as wildfires, flooding, and tornadoes, and makes people sick, causing brain damage in babies, cancer, and other cardiovascular and lung diseases.

Power plant carbon pollution standards enacted in 2024 after over 1 million Americans weighed in supporting them, alongside federal investments, were projected to cut harmful pollution from the power sector by 75% below 2005 levels by 2035. Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) have already cut mercury pollution by 90% and reduced other dangerous pollutants that put our families and communities at risk. The Trump administration’s Polluters First Agenda, aiming to roll back EPA carbon standards for existing coal and new gas-fired power plants and mercury and air toxics pollution standards, means progress toward slashing climate pollution and protecting public health and the environment now hangs in the balance. Despite the overwhelming science-based evidence underpinning the urgent need to reduce climate pollution, their priority is to put polluters first, while saddling the rest of us with more extreme weather events, illness, missed work, and higher costs.

“Carbon pollution standards for power plants and Mercury and Air Toxics Standards would generate undeniable public health benefits and put us on the road to reducing the pollution that causes extreme weather climate disasters,” said CAC Director, Margie Alt. “Reversing these protections will take lives, drive up costs, and worsen the climate crisis. Instead of protecting American families, Trump and Zeldin are turning their backs on science and the public to side with big polluters. Americans overwhelmingly support stronger protections against the climate crisis. We didn’t vote for more climate chaos and uncertainty, yet that’s exactly what Trump and Zeldin are delivering.”

Today’s proposal to repeal coal and new gas power plant standards and mercury pollution standards, alongside the other deregulatory actions previewed by Zeldin in March, would undo life-saving improvements to air quality that would prevent 30,000 premature deaths and save $275 billion each year they’re in effect, and instead leave millions of Americans exposed to health-harming pollution. More than 200 health professionals, in a letter released by CAC today, wrote "to share our grave concern at EPA’s effort to rescind dozens of pollution protections for millions."

The proposed rollbacks are "a direct contradiction to the Environmental Protection Agency’s mission of protecting public health and the environment and [Zeldin’s] expressed promise to ensure every American’s access to clean air," the health professionals wrote. The effort "would lead to the biggest pollution increases in decades and is a blatant give-away to polluters."

Implementing the power plant rule that was adopted would result in preventing premature deaths, asthma attacks, and associated costs, including tens of thousands of lost work days and school absence days.

"Weakening protections against air pollution is a direct assault on public health," said Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and public health advocate. "Air pollution makes people sick. Period. Anyone who relies on clean air to breathe – that’s everyone – pays a steep price when the Trump administration puts polluters over people."

About the Climate Action Campaign

Climate Action Campaign (CAC) is a vibrant coalition driving ambitious, durable, equitable federal action to tackle the climate crisis. By cutting carbon pollution and accelerating the transition to clean energy, we will improve public health and create a more resilient economy and a more sustainable future for all.