The Trump administration has extended a two-year waiver to around 70 coal-powered facilities, releasing them from federal mandates to curb the release of poisonous substances including mercury, arsenic, and benzene.

A list put online quietly on Tuesday on the Environmental Protection Agency's website shows 47 power companies that run at least 66 coal power plants. These companies are getting special permission to not follow rules from the Biden administration under the Clean Air Act. These rules include one that limits air pollution from mercury and other harmful substances. These actions come after an order last week from President Donald Trump. This order was meant to help the coal industry, which has been struggling. Coal is a reliable source of energy but causes pollution and has been used less and less over time.

One plant that got an exemption is the Colstrip Generating Station, a very large power plant in Colstrip, Montana. According to the EPA, this plant releases more toxic air pollution, like lead and arsenic, than any other similar plant in the U.S. Other plants with exemptions are Coal Creek Station in North Dakota, which is one of the biggest sources of mercury pollution in the country, and the Oak Grove plant in Texas, which also causes a lot of pollution.

The plants that are exempt are held by several of the country's pre-eminent power corporations, such as Talen Energy, Dominion Energy, NRG Energy, and Southern Co.

The exemptions also encompass four plants run by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which stands as the nation's preeminent public utility.

In a statement on Tuesday, the EPA said the president's exemptions will make coal power stronger. This will help make sure the country's power grid is dependable, electricity is not too expensive for Americans, and the EPA is helping to improve the country's energy security.

Michelle Bloodworth, who leads a group that tries to influence government decisions for coal power plants, said Trump understands that the country's coal power is very important for keeping our electricity supply strong and safe, which is the main support for our economy.

She asserted that regulations enacted during the tenure of former President Joe Biden "deviated from the principles of the Clean Air Act and stemmed from an erroneous interpretation of information."

The mercury regulation, enacted last year, may have led to the early closure of numerous coal-fired power plants, according to Bloodworth, who emphasized the necessity of these facilities for maintaining grid stability.

Environmental advocates denounced the exemptions as a clear failure of responsibility on the part of Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

"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 environmental group, the Center for Biological Diversity. "Saying it's for national security to make people all over the country breathe in more harmful substances is wrong. This shows how they put the money of companies that pollute before the health of Americans and the Earth."

Environmental organisations and public health proponents have condemned the administration's proposal to issue waivers, which they contend may permit numerous corporations to circumvent regulations designed to safeguard the environment and public well-being.

Critics have dubbed the new email address established by the EPA for requesting exemptions a "polluters' portal."

Exemptions may be granted from nine EPA regulations, encompassing restrictions on mercury, ethylene oxide, and other perilous air pollutants. Exposure to mercury poses a risk of cerebral impairment, particularly in minors, and prenatal exposure can lead to congenital anomalies.

Last week, Trump used his emergency power through several orders to let some older coal power plants, which were going to close, keep making electricity. This was to meet the growing need for power in the U.S., caused by more data centers, AI, and electric cars. Also, Trump told government groups to find coal on government land, remove problems for mining coal, and focus on renting out U.S. land for coal.

As a Republican, Trump has consistently pledged support for increasing the use of what he deems "beautiful" coal in power generation and other applications.