Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 21 states and local governments in filing a lawsuit on Apr. 1 challenging the Trump administration’s repeal of the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Rule, which had set limits on hazardous air pollutants from power plants.
The case centers on concerns about public health and environmental safety following changes to national rules that regulate toxic emissions such as mercury, arsenic, lead, and acid gases from coal- and oil-fired power plants. The Environmental Protection Agency updated these standards in 2024 to reflect advancements in pollution control technology. However, the Trump administration recently reversed these updates, returning to older regulations that allow for higher levels of dangerous emissions.
“Rolling back critical protections on the air we breathe for obsolete standards defies logic and puts Michigan families at risk,” said Attorney General Nessel. “Clean air should be a priority for any administration. Yet we are seeing a calculated effort by the EPA and the Trump White House to dismantle the guardrails that keep residents safe and prioritize the bottom line of fossil fuel billionaires over public health. My colleagues and I will continue to challenge these unlawful actions to protect our communities and environment.”
Mercury is recognized as a potent neurotoxin with serious risks for pregnant women, children, and adults exposed through air or water contamination. Health experts warn that exposure can cause developmental harms in children as well as cardiovascular disease or autoimmune dysfunction in adults. Mercury released into waterways also threatens fishing economies and subsistence practices among tribal nations.
The coalition argues that repealing updated emission controls is unlawful because it does not account for technological advances or provide adequate justification for reverting to previous standards. The attorneys general have asked the court to reverse this decision.
Other participants in this legal action include attorneys general from Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont Washington and Wisconsin; along with officials from Chicago City government; New York City; and Harris County Texas.
