Increased mortality from a two-year delay in Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) emission-reductions of filterable PM_2.5 at specific coal-fired power plants in the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency tightened the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for emissions of filterable particulate matter (fPM) from coal-fired power plants to 0.010 lb/MMBtu. In April 2025, a presidential proclamation stated that 47 specific power plant companies received a 2-year exemption from the new requirements. The proclamation provided no estimates of the resulting health impacts.

Methods

Our approach applies conventional risk-assessment calculations for mortality from inhalation of filterable PM_2.5 (fPM_2.5) emissions, for "with" versus "without" the exemption, across four steps: (1) calculate fPM_2.5 emissions, based on government databases; (2) calculate the change in ambient PM_2.5 con

SUBMITTER: Bekbulat B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12506990 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature