EPA Decision to Regulate Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) from Electric Utility Generating Units under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act on or before December 15, 2000

Background:  The United States Environmental Protection Agency has extensively documented the contamination caused by hazardous air pollutants generated by electric utilities.  These pollutants contaminate the traditional food web and ecosystem where Indigenous Peoples reside, leading to the degradation of health and limiting their right to maintain their heritage and culture.  HAPs impair treaty rights to fish and threaten the very existence of Indigenous Peoples.

On June 14, 2000, Midwest Environmental Advocates submitted written comments on behalf of the Indigenous Environmental Network and testified at an EPA hearing to urge the EPA to regulate mercury emissions from electric utilities.  We called on the EPA to to honor its trust responsibility to tribes by regulating HAPs. 

Status: The EPA decided in December, 2000 to regulate these mercury emissions. [View comments of the Indigenous Environmental Network: HAPs.pdf  20 KB]