EPA ANNOUNCES HISTORIC RULING TO CURB MERCURY AND OTHER POLLUTANTS FROM COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS

On Dec. 21, EPA issued the first national standards to slash emissions of dangerous air pollutants (including mercury) from coal-fired power plants. EPA estimates that the new safeguards will not only decrease plant emissions of dangerous air pollutants, but will prevent premature deaths, heart attacks, and respiratory illnesses, reduce exposure to cancer causing toxins, make fish safer to eat, and provide jobs. For more information, go to http://www.epa.gov/mats/.

EPA FINALIZES 2012 RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARDS

On Dec. 27, EPA announced it has finalized the Renewable Fuel Standard Program's requirements to reduce 2012 greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the use of renewable fuels, blending more than 1.25 billion gallons of renewable fuels over the amount mandated for 2011. This will help reduce petroleum imports and encourage the development and expansion of the nation's renewable fuels sector. For more information on the standards and regulations, go to http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/regulations.htm.

EPA RECOGNIZES JANUARY AS NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH

Radon is a natural, radioactive gas that can seep into homes from underground and accumulate to levels that can cause lung cancer. As part of National Radon Action Month, EPA suggests Americans take the simple and affordable preventive steps to test their homes from harmful levels of radon gas, and when building a new home, use the safer radon-resistant construction techniques available. For more information on how to test, fix, and obtain a test kit, contact your state radon office: http://www.epa.gov/radon or call 1-800-SOS-RADON.

EPA RELEASES 2010 TOXICS RELEASE INVENTORY NATIONAL ANALYSIS MAKING DATA MORE RELEVANT

On Jan. 5, EPA released its 2010 national analysis on the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report providing vital public information to the public about their communities. The TRI program publishes information on toxic chemical disposals and other releases into air, land and water, as well as waste management and pollution-prevention activities. EPA's web-based TRI tools greatly facilitate access to information, and myRTK, a new mobile application for accessing TRI data, is now available in Spanish. For more on the 2010 TRI analysis and TRI Web-based tools, go to http://www.epa.gov/tri.

Duane Nichols, Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition, P. O. Box 4679, Morgantown, WV 26504