After more than 20 years of attempted regulations, The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule has been approved by the Obama administration.  This rule severely limits the amount of mercury and other toxins that industries like power plants can emit.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this limit can prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths each year.

Under the rule, agencies are given three years to be in full compliance, but may be allowed up to one additional year on an individual basis for getting their operations in compliance.  The rule allows emissions of 1.2 pounds of mercury per million BTUs of energy produced. 

Opponents of the rule asked for at least 1.4 pounds per million BTUs, and stated that three years is not enough time to comply.

Mercury exposure can cause severe problems, especially in pregnant women and children.  It is a neurotoxin and is linked to child developmental delays, heart attack, asthma and even cancer. 

Individual states have already passed tough Mercury emissions laws, and in Massachusetts, efforts to reduce mercury emissions are estimated to have cut 90% of emissions since 1998.

Since power plants account for about half of mercury emissions, they are the main target for this rule.  Opponents suggest the strict regulations and short implementation time will mean blackouts while power plants begin to comply with the rule.

In addition to preventing up to 11,000 deaths annually, the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule could prevent 130,000 cases of childhood asthma and prevent up to 4,700 heart attacks each year, says the EPA.