Attorney General Kwame Raoul co-led a coalition of 17 state attorneys general, the city of Chicago, New York City and the California Air Resources Board, in filing comments opposing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to repeal the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) Rule and revert to outdated standards that would harm the environment and public health. The MATS Rule implements nationwide standards that limit emissions of toxic air pollutants from coal- and oil-fired power plants, such as mercury and other toxic metals, acid gases such as hydrogen chloride, and formaldehyde. Given significant developments in the technologies used to control pollution, in 2024 the EPA updated standards for emissions of these hazardous air pollutants from power plants. The Trump administration is proposing to repeal those standards and revert to the standards as they existed in 2012. “The Trump administration is proposing a significant step backwards that would harm our communities,” Raoul said. “Mercury and other toxic pollutants emitted by power plants threaten our environment and can lead to serious health effects in humans. I am committed to addressing environmental justice issues in Illinois, and I strongly oppose the EPA’s plan to repeal these important safeguards.”