EPA Delays Toxic Waste Rule for Coal-Fired Power Plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally delayed Wednesday implementation of an Obama-era rule regulating waste from coal-fired power plants. The rule sets specific limits on toxins like lead, arsenic and mercury in wastewater from power plants, potentially lowering pollution by 1.4 billion pounds a year and saving an estimated $500 million in public health benefits.

Industry groups had specifically petitioned the EPA to have the rule revoked or postponed, and the agency claimed it would use the two year delay to “revisit” the requirements.

For a deeper dive:

Reuters, AP, The Hill, Politico Pro

For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for daily Hot News.