Supreme Court rejects emergency applications, clearing the way for important public health protections
WASHINGTON – In an important win for clean air and public health, today the Supreme Court denied applications for a stay of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) Technology Review rule, which updates limits on hazardous air pollutant (also known as air toxics) emissions from power plants and requires more robust monitoring to ensure compliance.
“The MATS Technology Review rule is expected to reduce air toxics pollution from a few dozen of the dirtiest coal-fired power plants in the country, and we are encouraged to see the Supreme Court denied attempts to halt these important public health standards,” said Hayden Hashimoto, Attorney at Clean Air Task Force (CATF). “Delaying implementation would have allowed sources to continue to put public health at risk, particularly for communities disproportionately impacted by pollution from coal-fired power plants. CATF will continue to defend this rule and the benefits it will provide for communities and the environment in court.”
Section 112 of the Clean Air Act requires EPA to periodically review standards for these particularly harmful pollutants — including mercury, a potent neurotoxin, and cancer-causing metals like arsenic and chromium — and was intended to ensure the standards keep up with developments in emissions control measures. The Supreme Court’s denial of a stay follows a similar ruling from the D.C. Circuit, where briefing is underway.
CATF represents Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, Clean Wisconsin, Natural Resources Council of Maine, and the Ohio Environmental Council as intervenors defending the MATS Technology Review rule. The D.C. Circuit cases considering the merits have been consolidated under North Dakota, et al. v. EPA, No. 24-1119.
Contatto con la stampa
Samantha Sadowski, responsabile delle comunicazioni, Stati Uniti, ssadowski@catf.us, +1 202-440-1717
Circa Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With more than 25 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.
