The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed a new rule aiming to reduce planet-warming pollution from power plants and industrial facilities. The EPA hopes the rule will address health impacts linked to dirty energy pollution, according to a report from the New York Times.
Proposed in November, the rule would set stricter limits on nitrogen oxides, a group of harmful gases released when dirty fuels are burned. If approved, the rule would apply to all newly built turbines at power plants and industrial facilities, as well as existing turbines modified or rebuilt after the rule is enacted.
As the advocacy group Sierra Club explains, nitrogen oxides form ozone, the main component of smog. Smog can contribute to asthma, lung damage, cardiovascular ailments, and premature death. Children, older people, and those who are immunocompromised are especially vulnerable to these health impacts.
If the new standards are implemented, the EPA estimates that planet-warming pollution could be reduced by more than 2,600 tons by 2032, lowering public health costs by $45 million annually.
"These stronger standards are necessary to better protect nearby communities' health, and the power sector has already shown that the additional pollution controls can affordably and reliably do the job," EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Joseph Goffman said in a release.
As the New York Times pointed out, the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to review protections against air pollution from power plants every eight years. However, the outlet reported that current EPA guidelines regarding nitrogen oxide pollution haven't been updated since 2006, though there have been considerable advancements in "pollution control technology and an increased understanding of how nitrogen oxide harms human health."
The new proposed rule comes after the Environmental Defense Fund and the Sierra Club sued the EPA in 2022, demanding the organization lower its limits by November 2025.
Though environmental groups lauded the proposed rule as progress, advocates highlight that the only true way to protect community health — and the planet — is to fully divest from dirty energy.
"Ultimately, the healthiest option for families across the nation is for power plants to stop burning fossil fuels altogether and for utilities to invest in clean and reliable renewable energy," said Holly Bender, the Sierra Club's chief energy officer, in a statement.
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As the New York Times reported, it is uncertain if the new standard will take effect given President-elect Donald Trump's impending administration — a future many climate activists fear.
"It should not go without noting that the incoming Trump administration has repeatedly vowed to slash rules and regulations issued by agencies across the government," Julie McNamara, deputy policy director for the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said in a statement.
The Sierra Club called on the incoming Trump administration to take "swift and decisive action" to finalize the proposed rule, promising to fight any attempt to roll back protections.
Bender said, "Sierra Club will vigorously oppose any attempt to weaken these safeguards, and will consider all options—including litigation—if the final standards do not adequately protect the health and wellbeing of our families and communities."
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