WASHINGTON, DC – In response to today’s Supreme Court decision in the cases concerning EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA, National Mining Association v. EPA and Michigan v. EPA) the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) issued the following statement from LCV Board Chair, Carol M. Browner:
“Over the last forty years, through the authority of the Clean Air Act, we have made meaningful progress in cleaning up the air we breathe. To achieve this progress, we set strong standards based in science and then we find the most effective, efficient and common sense technology to reduce these dangerous pollutants. For more than a decade EPA has sought to reduce mercury – a toxic air pollutant – from power plants. Rather than first focusing on the science and how best to protect public health, today’s Supreme Court decision requires EPA to weigh the cost to industry before determining how much toxic mercury must be cut. It’s an unfortunate decision that puts polluter profits over public health, but it doesn’t remove EPA’s fundamental authority to act to protect public health from dangerous pollutants and EPA should continue to work to find a solution that addresses this toxic pollution.”
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