Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is co-leading a multi-state lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s rollback of some federal limits on toxic air pollution.
The lawsuit targets the repeal of the 2024 update to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, known as MATS, which was expanded under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during the Biden administration. Those new regulations further tightened limits on emissions from coal- and oil-fired power plants, including mercury, arsenic and lead.
Ellison’s office argues the federal rollback of those regulations will lead to increased pollution, particularly from lignite-burning power plants in nearby North Dakota, and worsen contamination in Minnesota’s lakes and rivers. According to Minnesota, the state already has roughly 1,700 bodies of water impaired by mercury, much of it carried by air pollution from out of state.
“Minnesotans depend on – and love – fishing,” Ellison said. “But no one should have to worry about whether they’re being poisoned when enjoying their walleye.”
The coalition, which includes 21 states and local governments and is co-led by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, argues the repeal is unlawful and request reverse the decision. The lawsuit, which was filed on Tuesday, claims federal regulators failed to justify abandoning stricter standards and did not properly account for advances in pollution-control technology.
The finalization of the rollback was announced in February, with EPA officials arguing the 2024 rule imposed unnecessary costs and threatened energy reliability. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the repeal would help ensure “affordable, dependable energy” while maintaining existing health protections.
Republicans also supported the move.
