The federal government’s latest step to gut effective air pollution limits proven to protect the health, environment, and well-being of communities will have direct and negative impacts on New Yorkers. New York delivered on cuts in mercury emissions and other hazardous pollutants from power plants, which drove the remarkable recovery of lake and river ecosystems statewide.
However, air pollution does not recognize state borders. The potentially harmful actions other states may take following the repeal of these federal regulations is a real threat to public health. When combined with prior federal rollbacks that will contribute further to extreme heat, flooding, and other climate change impacts, EPA's refusal to evaluate the combined effects of greenhouse gas pollutants will hurt our most vulnerable communities and undercut the significant progress being made by New York and other states.
