Four Health and Medical Groups Support EPA’s Proposed Mercury and Air Toxics Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 31, 2022) – In response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule to reaffirm the appropriate and necessary finding for the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Lung Association, American Public Health Association and Physicians for Social Responsibility issued the following statement:

“We applaud EPA’s proposed rule to reaffirm the ‘appropriate and necessary finding’ for the lifesaving Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. Without a doubt, protecting the health of babies, children, pregnant people and other at-risk groups from toxic pollution is appropriate and necessary.

“These commonsense standards have a proven track record of success. They have slashed emissions of toxic air pollutants, including mercury and arsenic. Millions are breathing cleaner air because of these protections under the Clean Air Act. The previous administration’s attempt to undermine them was unconscionable and unlawful, and we thank EPA for today’s proposal to correct it.

“Further, our organizations support strengthening the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards through EPA’s residual risk and technology review. EPA should follow the latest science and update the standards to protect the health of all Americans, particularly children. For example, recent research from the Harvard School of Public Health has shown that the net benefits of reducing mercury are much larger than EPA previously estimated.”

“Our organizations support EPA’s proposal to reaffirm the finding that the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards are appropriate and necessary and will continue to advocate for stronger safeguards.”

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.