Trump’s EPA Is Making Americans Sicker and Polluters Richer 

Weakening limits on toxic pollution from coal plants will allow more mercury and dangerous pollutants in the air, putting our health at risk 

Coal power is outdated, more expensive, slower, and less safe than clean energy – and could actually raise your electricity bill

Washington, DC – After taking the most pro-pollution action in modern history by repealing the endangerment finding, Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is going a step further today by announcing their decision to weaken mercury protections. This decision will give coal plants free rein to emit dangerous pollutants into the air, leaving American families to pay the price with higher health care costs and more illnesses. 

Increased mercury pollution can trigger asthma attacks, heart problems, and premature deaths. Exposure to mercury can cause developmental delays and learning disabilities in babies. By weakening mercury protections, the Trump administration is putting American families in danger just to satisfy billionaire oil and gas CEOs.  

Climate Power Senior Advisor Alex Witt issued the following statement: “The Trump administration is continuing its crusade to give corporations a blank check to make Americans sicker. Trump promised to ‘Make America Healthy Again’, but instead, he’s allowing corporate polluters to dump toxins into our air and water — all to prop up an industry that will actually increase energy costs. For Trump, it’s his billionaire donors first, American families last.” 

Rolling back pollution protections will make Americans sicker and leave them with soaring utility bills: 

• Pollution protections could have prevented “an estimated 30,000 deaths and save $275 billion each year” in health care, gasoline, and other costs that are making America less affordable. 

• Families and communities are already paying the price of climate change. Health care bills are rising as childhood asthma increases, insurance premiums are soaring, and extreme weather is destroying homes, jobs, and crops. Without science-based protections, these costs will rise unabated. Families will face more hospital visits, more pollution-related illnesses, and more economic harm.

• Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin linked to learning disabilities and developmental delays. Letting coal plants release more of it puts pregnant people and babies directly at risk.

• Propping up old coal plants is expensive and unreliable, and utilities pass those costs on to customers. Blocking cheaper clean energy keeps families stuck with higher bills.

• In just its first year, Trump’s EPA has:
  • Weakened limits on toxic mercury from coal plants
  • Rolled back multiple pollution protections that kept air and water cleaner
  • Pushed to keep aging coal plants running instead of transitioning to cheaper clean energy
  • Announced a decision to no longer consider lives saved in pollution rulemaking