Trump Administration Rolls Back Mercury Rules as AI Energy Demand Soars

On February 20, 2026, the Trump administration formally rescinded the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), a landmark environmental regulation enacted under President Obama and strengthened during the Biden era. The move, confirmed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), eliminates mandatory limits on toxic emissions—including mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and lead—from coal-fired power plants. According to Scientific American, the decision was justified by the administration as a cost-saving measure that reduces regulatory burdens on the energy sector, despite overwhelming scientific consensus on the health risks posed by these pollutants.

The timing of the rollback is particularly alarming. As artificial intelligence infrastructure expands across the United States, electricity demand from data centers has surged by an estimated 15% year-over-year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Many of these data centers, concentrated in regions like Virginia, Texas, and North Carolina, rely on grid electricity that still includes significant contributions from aging coal plants. With MATS repealed, these facilities may now be powered by some of the dirtiest sources of electricity in the nation’s energy mix, exacerbating regional air pollution and increasing long-term public health costs.

The Sierra Club condemned the decision, calling it a "direct assault on environmental justice communities"—many of which are located near coal plants and already suffer disproportionately high rates of asthma, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular disease. Mercury, a potent neurotoxin, bioaccumulates in fish and enters the human food chain, posing severe risks to fetal development and children’s cognitive health. The EPA’s own modeling, cited in the Sierra Club’s press release, estimates that MATS prevented up to 11,000 premature deaths annually; its repeal could reverse those gains within a decade.

While the administration argues that newer coal plants have adopted voluntary emissions controls and that natural gas and renewables are displacing coal, data from the Energy Information Administration shows that coal still generates approximately 16% of U.S. electricity—nearly 200 gigawatts of capacity—as of early 2026. Many of these plants, especially in the Midwest and Southeast, are not slated for retirement until the 2030s. Without MATS, operators are no longer required to install or maintain scrubbers, filters, or monitoring systems that previously reduced mercury emissions by over 90% since 2015.

Environmental advocates warn that the deregulation could also undermine U.S. credibility in international climate negotiations. The European Union and Canada have signaled concern over the rollback, noting that it contradicts global commitments to reduce heavy metal pollution under the Minamata Convention. Meanwhile, tech companies investing in AI infrastructure, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, face growing scrutiny over the environmental footprint of their energy sourcing. Although many have pledged to use 100% renewable energy, their reliance on the broader grid means they remain indirectly connected to coal-powered electricity in regions where regulatory oversight has been weakened.

Legal challenges are already underway. A coalition of 18 states, led by California and New York, has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, arguing that the EPA’s reversal violates the Clean Air Act and ignores substantial public health evidence. Environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council and Earthjustice, plan to join the litigation. Meanwhile, communities near coal plants in West Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina are organizing town halls, demanding federal intervention and clean energy alternatives.

As AI continues to drive unprecedented energy consumption, the repeal of MATS presents a stark choice: prioritize short-term economic flexibility for fossil fuel operators, or safeguard public health and environmental integrity. The consequences of this decision may reverberate for decades—not just in the air we breathe, but in the neurological health of future generations.