EPA Implements New Rules to Reduce Power Plant Pollution and Smog.
The EPA has finalized its "good-neighbor rule" to reduce harmful smog and nitrogen oxide pollution from coal-fired power plants and industrial facilities. The rule requires 23 states to adhere to limits on air pollution from smog and ground-level ozone that wafts into other states. The EPA estimates that the rule will reduce nitrogen oxide pollution by approximately 70,000 tons in 2026 and will require most power plants and heavy industry to outfit themselves with specialized pollution control equipment. The rule is the latest in a series of EPA regulations aimed at cutting down pollution and toxic waste from coal-fired power plants.