Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced on Mar. 31 that she has joined a coalition of 18 states in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to repeal existing standards for mercury and other toxic pollutants released by power plants.
The coalition argues that loosening these regulations could endanger public health, especially for children and pregnant women. Mercury is recognized as a potent neurotoxin with significant risks, including developmental harms in children and increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adults. The lawsuit claims that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) failed to provide adequate justification or consider technological advancements before revoking the standards.
“Every time you look, the Trump Administration is taking us backwards, and this time, the issue is about the amount of mercury and other toxics we allow into the air and our water,” Davenport said. “Ideological whims should never be allowed to overrule protecting the health of our children.”
Davenport noted that New Jersey has a history of regulating mercury due to its serious effects; a study from 2001 found about 13% of pregnant women in New Jersey had unsafe levels of mercury. The state was among the first to regulate mercury emissions from water bodies and power plants.
Last month, according to Davenport’s office, the EPA revoked standards covering not only mercury but also arsenic, lead, and formaldehyde emissions from power plants. The attorneys general involved are asking federal courts to reverse what they describe as an unlawful rule change.
The New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin holds statewide authority to enforce laws, prosecute offenses, regulate public safety matters under its statutory mandate according to its official website. The office also aims to protect residents’ lives and property while delivering legal support across all counties according to its official website.
Davenport joins attorneys general from Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin in this legal action. Harris County (Texas), Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison are also part of this coalition.
