The Trump administration has given almost 70 coal power plants a two-year break from federal rules to lower the release of harmful chemicals like mercury, arsenic, and benzene.

A list put on the Environmental Protection Agency's website on Tuesday shows that 47 power companies, which run at least 66 coal power plants, are allowed to ignore the rules from the Biden time under the Clean Air Act. This includes a rule that limits air pollution from mercury and other poisons. These actions are happening after President Donald Trump signed an order last week to help the coal industry, which is having problems. Coal is a power source that you can count on, but it causes pollution and has been getting smaller for a long time.

Notably exempted is the Colstrip Generating Station, a substantial power plant in Montana cited by the EPA as emitting unparalleled levels of toxic airborne contaminants like lead and arsenic compared to similar facilities in the U.S. Further exemptions encompass North Dakota's Coal Creek Station, a significant contributor to national mercury emissions, and the Oak Grove plant in Texas, another major source of pollution.

Some of the country's major power corporations, such as Talen Energy, Dominion Energy, NRG Energy, and Southern Co., are the proprietors of the exempted plants.

Furthermore, these exemptions extend to four facilities managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority, the country's foremost public utility.

On Tuesday, the EPA released a statement saying that the presidential exemptions will strengthen electricity production from coal. This will make sure our country's power grid is dependable, electricity is not too expensive for Americans, and the EPA is helping to improve our nation's energy security.

Michelle Bloodworth, who is the head of a group that supports coal power plants, said that Trump understands that the country's coal power system is very important for having a strong and safe electricity supply, which is the main support for our economy.

According to her, the regulations implemented during the previous administration under President Joe Biden "did not align with the Clean Air Act and resulted from an flawed interpretation of the data."

The mercury regulation, enacted last year, may have led to the early closure of numerous coal-fired power plants, Bloodworth commented, noting that these facilities are essential for maintaining the stability of the electricity network.

Environmental advocates said the exemptions were a failure of responsibility by Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. These exemptions require the president to find that the technology needed for the new rules is not widely available and that the plants continuing to operate helps national security.

"These permissions to pollute make big holes in the federal rules that protect the air we breathe," said Maya Golden-Krasner, a senior lawyer at the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group. "Saying that it's about national security to make people across the country breathe in more harmful substances is wrong. This shows what happens when making money for polluters is more important than the health of Americans and the planet."

Environmental groups and public health supporters have strongly criticized the government's idea to give special permission, saying this could let many companies avoid rules that are supposed to protect the environment and people's health.

Environmental critics have described the new email address established by the EPA for requesting exemptions as a "polluters' portal."

Exemptions can be given for nine EPA rules, including limits on mercury, ethylene oxide, and other dangerous air pollutants. Being exposed to mercury can damage the brain, especially in children, and can cause birth defects if a pregnant mother is exposed.

Last week, using emergency powers through several executive orders, Trump allowed some older coal power plants that were going to close to keep making electricity. This was to meet the growing demand for power in the U.S., caused by more data centers, artificial intelligence, and electric cars. At the same time, Trump told government agencies to find coal on government land, remove rules that make it hard to mine coal, and focus on renting out government land for coal mining.

The Republican politician, Trump, has consistently pledged to revitalise what he terms "beautiful" coal for electricity generation and various applications.