Attempts were made to overturn Bush administration proposals that dodge mandatory cuts in mercury pollution from coal-and oil-fired power plants at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Dec. 6.

Over a dozen states, Native American tribes, public health and environmental groups, and organizations representing registered nurses and physicians challenged the new set of EPA rules. Included in the suit is questions relating to the "Clean Air Mercury Rule," which uses what they call a weak cap-and-trade program to allow higher levels of mercury pollution.

According to the joint statement presented by the groups, "[the] EPA has created an illegal loophole for the power generating industry that allows for dangerous emissions of mercury and other toxic air pollutants now and in the future."

The states challenging this EPA rule are: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wisconsin.

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