July 16, 2025

Ground Zero for Climate Action: Fighting Coal & Gas Pollution in the Midwest

ELPC testified in two hearings to stop Trump administration rollbacks of critical air and climate pollution standards.

By Callie Sharp, Associate Attorney

Last week, ELPC continued its fight against the Trump administration’s aggressive rollbacks of air pollution standards. Associate Attorney Callie Sharp testified in two public hearings before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging the agency to maintain these standards and to continue to protect environmental quality and public health.

On Tuesday, EPA first heard testimony on its proposed repeal of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for coal- and gas-fired power plants. Greenhouse gases fuel incredible harm to human health, the Great Lakes, and our environment, as echoed in a new scientific report update released this week detailing climate change impacts on the Great Lakes region. Because the Midwest produces more electricity from coal plants than any other region of the country, this region is ground zero for climate action.

Full GHG Testimony

On Thursday, EPA heard testimony on its proposed repeal of the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), which protect our air and water from harmful power-sector emissions of mercury, arsenic, nickel, and other toxins. ELPC is also one of multiple health, environmental, and community groups that filed a lawsuit in June against President Trump and EPA over the administration’s illegal use of presidential exemptions that allowed 68 coal-fired power plants to postpone complying with the 2024 MATS.

MATS Testimony

Highlights from Callie’s Testimony

• Midwesterners live, work, recreate, hunt, and fish near coal-fired power plants and are directly impacted by their pollutants.
• Five of the nine worst states for unhealthy air are in the Midwest.
• Of particular interest to the Midwest is the 2024 MATS regulation of lignite coal plants. Lignite coal contains more mercury than other coal types, and is also the least efficient type for energy production. In 2021, lignite coal-fired units were responsible for a whopping 30% of all mercury emissions from coal-fired units in the U.S., but produced only 7% of total energy generated by coal.
• Mercury is one of the most toxic substances on the planet. Inhalation or ingestion can cause severe neurological damage, cardiovascular issues, endocrine disruption, kidney damage, and muscle coordination problems. Intrauterine exposure can lead to IQ and motor skills impairments that will last a lifetime.
• Fossil fuel-fired power plants emit more carbon pollution than any other stationary source. In 2023, domestic power plants alone released 1.4 billion metric tons of CO2.2 This is more than the total annual greenhouse gas emissions of nearly every other nation on Earth and is greater than the collective greenhouse gas emissions of over half of the world’s countries.
• Domestic power sector CO2 emissions in 2023 resulted in over $290 billion dollars in climate damages. This amount is greater than the annual gross domestic product of over three-quarters of the world’s countries.

Click to watch MATS hearing video

Callie Sharp,

Associate Attorney

Callie Sharp is an Associate Attorney at ELPC.

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