Trump EPA proposes repeal of key clean air regulations, endangering health June 11, 2025

Contact: Miah Hornyak, mhornyak@psr.org

Today’s repeal of power plant emissions standards for carbon and Mercury and Air Toxics (MATS) is shortsighted and ill-intentioned. With this action, the Trump administration is trading the lives of the most vulnerable Americans in order to line the pockets of fossil fuel corporations. These finalized rules, which received over one million public comments, were projected to save thousands of lives and save hundreds of millions of dollars in healthcare costs. Limiting emissions from power plants is popular across the political spectrum as 67% of voters support keeping mercury standards and place and 65% of voters support the same for carbon standards. A majority of people recognize that cleaning up our air will make for healthier people and a more stable climate; we should not settle for less. 

Quotes from PSR leaders

“The rollbacks of carbon and mercury standards are a step in the wrong direction for the health of all Americans, but especially children. Mercury exposure in pregnancy has been associated with birth defects and children exposed to mercury can suffer from additional cognitive impairments. Further, increasing carbon emissions will exacerbate the impacts of climate change – threatening the mental and physical health of children. These rollbacks trade their tomorrow for policies that ignore science, dismiss evidence, and prioritize polluters over children.”

– Harleen Marwah, MD MS, PSR Board Member

“The Trump administration’s repeal of mercury and carbon emissions standards will have negative consequences on my patients’ health and harm people all across the country. Vulnerable populations such as people of color, the elderly, children, and low income individuals will suffer the most if power plants are allowed to continue with business as usual. Adverse health impacts include  increased asthma attacks in  children, heart attack, stroke, and cancer in adults. All from breathing totally preventable  toxic emissions.  Climate change induced extreme weather events are already happening and will get worse if we reverse emissions standards.  Our healthcare system does not have the capacity to compensate  for the federal government’s negligence.”

– Mark Vossler, MD, PSR Board President