The EPA will soon announce a terrible proposed rule that will start the process to rollback the 2011 rules to clean up mercury and air toxins from coal and oil fired power plants. Electric generators were and are still complying with the rule, which makes it a good example of effective environmental policy.
Oh, right, but it was "that guy's" rule. And anything he did must be bad, especially for Trump's beloved base, most members of which would gladly take cut off their noses to spite their faces. The fact that this rule actually helps them, their children and their well-being is meaningless. That eliminating the rule only benefits Acting EPA Administrator Andy Wheeler, the Coal Barons like Bob Murray simply does not figure into their equation.
Just a bit of science so that folks can appreciate what's going on here. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that, when it gets in the food chain and poisons baby's and children's brains results in low IQ and other irreparable neurological harm. Pollution controls to clean up toxic acid gases also reduce direct PM2.5 emissions and SO2 that forms lethal PM2.5 in the atmosphere. When EPA adopted the rule in 2011 they estimated it would prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths each year. No wonder Trump is eliminating the rule. After all, he loves the poorly educated people. This must all be some ploy to kill off people with IQs over 70 and replace them poorly educated who will form the next generations of Trump voters!
Where's my tinfoil hat?
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