Industry and States Blast Price Tag of EPA Mercury Air Standards

Industry groups and states fired opening shots against what they call unnecessary new mercury rules in a brief filed Tuesday.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Midwest Ozone Group, Kentucky, Virginia, and other petitioners from consolidated cases told the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that the Environmental Protection Agency is imposing burdensome costs to industry while failing to explain why the new rule is needed.

“By EPA’s own flawed estimates, the Rule’s mandated reduction in HAP emissions will impose nearly $1 billion in direct compliance cost in exchange for no meaningful public health benefits,” the ...