The Environmental Protection Agency recently issued a proposed rule to reverse the agency’s Mercury and Air Toxic Standards. Since 2012, these standards have been instrumental in reducing dangerous mercury and other toxic pollutants released from coal and oil burning power plants.

Coal-fired power plants are the most significant source of mercury pollution, emitting almost three quarters of all mercury air emissions in the U.S. The current mercury pollution standards work to reduce dangerous levels of mercury, heavy metals, and other toxic air pollutants released from coal- and oil-burning power plants. As currently implemented, the Mercury and Air Toxic Standards prevent a myriad of health complications and pollution-related deaths, avoiding up to 11,000 premature deaths, 5,000 heart attacks and 130,000 asthma attacks each year. Mercury is also a potent neurotoxin that harms the developing brains, lungs and hearts of children.

As people of faith we strive not only for environmental stewardship but to protect human health and wellbeing. Rolling back mercury pollution standards does not fulfill the EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment and fails in our duty to safeguard God’s creation. The current Mercury and Air Toxic Standards help us in our pursuit to care for God’s creation and uphold the common good.

You can help by writing a public comment opposing the proposed rule. The deadline for comments is April 4 and having a significant number of comments will impact the final rule. Each comment needs to be unique to be counted and reviewed, and we encourage you to share your story of how the rule would impact your community and congregation, or any specific concerns you have as a UCC member involved in Environmental Justice and Creation Care. Be sure to include the docket number, EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0794 in your comment and follow with your opposition.