Trump exempts nearly 70 coal plants from Biden-era rule on mercury

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has granted nearly 70 coal-fired power plants a two-year exemption from federal requirements to reduce emissions of toxic chemicals such as mercury, arsenic and benzene.

A list quietly posted as of Tuesday on the Environmental Protection Agency's website lists 47 power providers — which operate at least 66 coal-fired plants — that are receiving exemptions from the Biden-era rules under the Clean Air Act, including a regulation limiting air pollution from mercury and other toxins. The actions follow an executive order last week by President Donald Trump aimed at boosting the struggling coal industry, a reliable but polluting energy source that's long been in decline.

Among plants receiving exemptions is the Colstrip Generating Station, a massive power plant in Colstrip, Montana, that emits more toxic air pollutants such as lead and arsenic than any other U.S. facility of its kind, according to the EPA. Other plants with exemptions include Coal Creek Station, a large power plant in North Dakota that is among the nation's top producers of mercury emissions, and the Oak Grove plant in Texas, another large polluter.