EPA updates mercury and air toxics standards for new power plants
Agency also proposes updates to oil and gas storage tank standards
The EPA has issued updates to pollution limits for new power plants under the mercury and air toxics standards, based on new information and analysis that became available to the agency after the rule was finalized.
The updates are largely technical in nature and will have no impact on the standards already set for existing power plants. The public health benefits and costs of the rule remain unchanged. The EPA says the standards will prevent as many as 11,000 premature deaths and 4,700 heart attacks every year. The agency also says they will result in 130,000 fewer cases of childhood asthma symptoms and about 6,300 fewer cases of acute bronchitis among U.S. children each year.
The updated standards only apply to future power plants and do not change the types of pollution control technology that plants would install.
“The updates ensure that emissions limits are achievable and that pollution levels can be measured continuously,” according to a statement released by the EPA.