The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seeks to strengthen limits on wastewater discharges from coal-fired power plants in a proposed regulation announced March 9 that officials say would be the toughest ever proposed for effluent pollution. EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the new "effluent limitation guidelines" for steam-generating electric power plants—which typically are coal plants but can also include oil and gas plants—would reduce pollutants such as selenium, mercury, arsenic, nickel and bromide in discharged wastewater by about 584 million pounds annually.
The regulation also would improve public health, particularly in low-income communities located near power plants.