WASHINGTON — Environmental advocates raised alarms over the Trump administration’s Feb. 20, 2026, repeal of strengthened mercury and air toxics standards for coal-fired power plants, warning the move could spike pollution levels and threaten Marylanders’ health through contaminated waterways and seafood.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the rollback of 2024 Biden-era amendments to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, known as MATS, reverting to 2012 limits that allow higher emissions of mercury, arsenic, lead and other hazardous pollutants. The agency argued the changes promote affordable energy and American energy dominance, estimating $670 million in savings for utilities while maintaining public health protections under existing rules.
Sierra Club Climate Policy Director Patrick Drupp countered that the repeal prioritizes coal company profits over public welfare. “Increasing dangerous pollution like mercury, lead, arsenic, causes brain damage in babies, infants, fetuses. They cause cancer,” he said. “Then you’ve got these acid gases that cause cardiovascular and lung diseases, so really, this action doesn’t benefit anyone – except the coal companies that are trying to cut corners while everyone else is suffering.”
The Sierra Club estimated the rollback could increase mercury emissions by 50% from the dirtiest plants, tripling allowable releases in some cases. Environmental Defense Fund and Earthjustice echoed concerns, noting heightened risks for heart disease, lung issues, cancer and neurological damage, particularly in vulnerable groups like children and pregnant individuals.
A 2020 U.S. Geological Survey study found nearly half of gamefish in Chesapeake Bay watershed lakes, rivers and streams contained mercury levels unsafe for human consumption, though concentrations trended downward due to prior regulations. Researchers analyzed over 7,000 samples from 600 locations, revealing mean mercury levels at 0.22 parts per million, with striped bass averaging 0.31 parts per million—exceeding the EPA’s 0.3 parts per million limit.
Maryland faces indirect exposure despite no local coal plants refusing compliance, as upstream emissions from Pennsylvania and West Virginia coal facilities contaminate rivers like the Potomac and Susquehanna. “A lot of that comes from rivers farther upstream in other states, like Pennsylvania and West Virginia, where there’s a lot of mercury emissions from coal plants,” Drupp said. “And that mercury gets absorbed into the rivers, the Potomac, the Susquehanna, and ultimately ends up in the Chesapeake Bay, where it builds up in seafood, in crabs, in fish, in oysters, and impacts the health and livelihoods of thousands of people.”
This bioaccumulation affects Southern Maryland communities in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties, where the Bay supports commercial fishing, crabbing and oyster harvesting. Local watermen and residents rely on these resources, but elevated mercury could exacerbate health advisories and economic strains. A Harvard University 2025 analysis projected $200 million annual health costs from the repeal, including treatments for developmental delays and respiratory ailments.
The Trump EPA had already granted two-year exemptions to nearly 70 power plants in April and July 2025, allowing excess emissions despite many facilities proving capable of meeting 2024 standards. Critics, including Moms Clean Air Force, decried the actions as endangering fetal brain development amid a pattern of dismantling environmental safeguards.
EPA’s analysis predicted a 10.5% annual increase in lignite coal use by 2035 due to relaxed rules, potentially reversing mercury declines. The repeal eliminates stricter particulate matter limits, mercury caps for lignite plants and continuous monitoring requirements, which the agency deemed costly without net benefits.
Legal challenges loom, with groups like Sierra Club and Earthjustice vowing court fights to restore protections. The move aligns with broader Trump efforts, including a Feb. 12, 2026, repeal of greenhouse gas endangerment findings saving $1.3 trillion.
In Southern Maryland, where the Patuxent River and Bay shores draw anglers and families, officials monitor fish advisories. The Maryland Department of the Environment advises limited consumption of Bay species like blue crabs and rockfish due to ongoing contaminants, a concern amplified by potential upstream pollution surges.
Advocates urge residents to support clean energy transitions, noting coal’s decline amid achievable pollution controls demonstrated under prior rules.