By Danbee You, Alliance Intern at Washington University, St. Louis ‘28
It is the responsibility of the government to put the public’s health first, but Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is attempting to strip away protections for clean air in favor of polluting power plants.
The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) were the first national limits on toxic air pollution from coal and oil-fired power plants. Since being enacted in 2012 and strengthened by the Biden EPA in 2024, MATS reduced emissions by over 85% and delivered critical public health benefits nationwide.
MATS’ strengthened protections would result in fewer hospital visits, missed workdays, and premature deaths, saving Americans at least $300 million in health-related costs over a 10-year period. However, Trump’s EPA proposal to block key sections from the 2024 MATS will threaten both the environment and public health.
To stop Trump’s administration from weakening MATS, take a minute to submit a public comment to the EPA on the EarthJustice site before Monday, August 11. Simply fill out your basic information and submit EarthJustice’s pre-written paragraph or your own personalized message. These comments build a case for clean air and demonstrate to decision-makers that the public will not tolerate this rollback.
Clean air is a human right, and we must make it clear that public health matters more than letting polluters have their payday. Join the Alliance by taking Earthjustice’s Action to protect our clean air.