PennFuture slams federal plan to increase toxic air pollution

In a dangerous and deceitful move, reports suggest a number of Pennsylvania's power plants and other petrochemical companies seek a presidential exemption from the Clean Air Act, claiming they can't comply with existing pollution control standards. These exemptions are based on the claim that technology that a number of companies already have in use is now “unavailable.” Granting these exemptions would needlessly endanger public health by increasing releases of hazardous chemicals, neurotoxins,  and known carcinogens such as mercury, arsenic, and ethylene oxide. 

The Trump Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invited industrial emitters of hazardous air pollutants to request a presidential exemption from limits on toxic air pollution.

“The Trump Administration essentially just rolled out the red carpet for toxic air pollution and, make no mistake, this will kill people, especially those living in environmental justice communities,” said Patrick McDonnell, President and CEO of PennFuture. “It’s been clear since Lee Zeldin took over at the EPA that there is a determination to rollback Clean Air standards. The companies in Pennsylvania that may now be jumping on board to get this exemption will have trouble proving that the technology isn’t available to them. The current rules are based on what the best performing companies are already achieving in practice.”

PennFuture is tracking information on which Pennsylvania power plants and petrochemical plants may have submitted requests for exemptions of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (MATS).

PennFuture calls on Governor Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to safeguard our communities and protect Pennsylvanians’ Constitutionally-protected right to a clean and healthy environment by strengthening state clean air regulations.