The country’s highest court ruled to uphold new federal standards limiting arsenic, lead and mercury emissions from coal plants on Friday.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected multiple requests to pause the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. The standards limit the amount of cancer-causing chemicals and planet-warming pollution emitted by coal-fired power plants.
Several dozen Republican attorneys general and fossil fuel industry groups filed requests to put the rules on pause, while legal challenges play out in lower courts. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, is part of the challenge, as well as NorthWestern Energy, and Talen Montana, owners of Colstrip.
This is part of a slate of EPA regulations targeting the reduction of planet warming emissions. The rules, and this most recent decision, have been celebrated by environmental groups and health professionals for decreasing pollution.
