US Supreme Court denies plea to block air pollution policy

The US Supreme Court denied a bid made by 20 states to cease an Environmental Protection Agency policy to inhibit emissions of arsenic, mercury and other toxic pollutants from the coal-fired power plants.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts rejected the plea and sided with the Obama administration to block a contentious air pollution rule for power plants. According to The Hill, Justice Robert's order came despite his court's 5-4 decision last year, which rules that the EPA policy or the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards is unconstitutional.

The judge denied a petition made by 20 states, led by Michigan, to place the rule on hold after a federal appellate court decided in December to leave it intact while the EPA evaluates the costs of implementing the rule. The states argued that a temporary stay was vital since the court had 'already held that the finding on which the policy rests is illegal and beyond the EPA's statutory authority'.

Last June, the Supreme Court ruled that EPA should have considered the compliance cost when it decided to limit emissions of hazardous air pollutants mainly from coal-fired power plants, and return the case to the appellate court. Meanwhile, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the rules could remain intact while the government responds to the Supreme Court's ruling. Reuters reported that EPA has until April 15 to come up and present the compliance costs.

Take Part reported that Mercury exposure can harm a fetus' nervous system development and young children. Coal-fired plants are reported to be the primary cause of mercury pollution in the US. Mercuries emit metals such as chromium, arsenic, nickel and pollutants that can cause cancer and contribute to heart disease and asthma.

The EPA regulation applies to about 1,400 electricity generating units at 600 power plants, which most of them are already in the compliance. Environmental advocates applauded Judge Robert and called the group of states, including Michigan, to end their legal challenge rule.

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US Supreme Court, air pollution policy, us pollution, EPA, Environmental Protection Agency policy, coal fired power plants, mercury pollution

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