---
title: "Trump is making coal plants even dirtier as AI demands more energy"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/276483530.md"
description: "The Trump administration has repealed Biden-era Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), which regulated toxic pollutants from power plants, including coal-fired plants like the Kingston Fossil Plant in Tennessee. This deregulation comes as electricity demand rises due to new AI data centers, potentially increasing mercury emissions, a neurotoxin linked to serious health issues. The move aims to facilitate quicker construction of power plants, raising concerns about environmental and public health impacts."
datetime: "2026-02-20T20:37:17.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/276483530.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276483530.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/276483530.md)
generator: "portal-rs"
---

# Trump is making coal plants even dirtier as AI demands more energy

Kingston Fossil Plant, a 1.4-gigawatt coal-fired power plant located in Roane County, just outside Kingston, Tennessee on the shore of Watts Bar Lake. | Photo: Getty Images 

The Trump administration just tossed out Biden-era restrictions on mercury and other toxic pollutants from power plants. It's repealing Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) just as electricity demand in the US ticks up with the buildout of new AI data centers.

Those standards are particularly impactful when it comes to pollution from coal plants responsible for around half of mercury emissions in the US. Mercury is a neurotoxin; high exposure has been linked to birth defects and learning disabilities in children. Exposure can also impact the kidneys and nervous system.

> Trump's deregulation spree aims to make it easier to quickly constr …

Read the full story at The Verge.

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> **Disclaimer: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.**