The government has said that about 70 power plants do not have to follow the rules for two years. These rules are for making the air cleaner and reducing bad chemicals like mercury and arsenic.

A list from the Environmental Protection Agency shows 47 companies. These companies have power plants that use coal. They don't have to follow some rules about clean air. This is because President Trump made a decision to help the coal industry.

Some power plants don't have to follow all the rules. For example, the Colstrip power plant in Montana sends out more bad things like lead and arsenic into the air than other similar plants in the US. The Coal Creek Station in North Dakota sends out a lot of mercury, which is also not good. The Oak Grove plant in Texas also pollutes a lot.

Some big energy companies in the country own these plants. These plants do not have to follow some rules. For example, Talen Energy and Dominion Energy are two of these companies.

The exceptions also include four factories run by the Tennessee Valley Authority. This is the biggest public power company in the country.

The government said the changes will help power plants that use coal. This will make sure we have electricity we can count on, that it's not too expensive for people, and that it helps keep our country's energy safe.

Michelle Bloodworth, the head of a group that supports coal power plants, said Trump thinks coal power is very important for a strong and safe electricity supply. She said it is like the main support for our economy.

She said the rules from when Joe Biden was president did not follow the Clean Air Act and used the wrong information.

Bloodworth said that a new rule about mercury, which finished last year, might have caused some coal power plants to close earlier than planned. He also said that these plants are needed to keep the electricity system reliable.

Environmental groups said Trump and the EPA Administrator were wrong because they let some factories avoid the new rules.

These permits to pollute cause big problems for the country's rules that protect our air," said Maya Golden-Krasner from an environmental group. "Saying it's about national security to make people breathe more harmful chemicals is wrong. This shows that they care more about money for companies that pollute than about people's health and the Earth.

Groups that care about nature and health say the government's plan is not good. They think it could let many companies not follow rules that keep nature and people healthy.

Some people say the new email address from the EPA, where companies can ask for special permission, is a place for companies that pollute.

Sometimes, some rules can be changed for things like mercury. Too much mercury can hurt people's brains, especially kids. It can also cause problems for babies before they are born.

Last week, Trump signed orders to help old coal power plants keep working and make more electricity for new things like data centers and electric cars. He also told government groups to find more coal and make it easier to get it from U.S. land.

Trump, who is a Republican, often says he wants to help the coal industry.