Ann Carlson in The Economist: Think a respiratory virus pandemic is a good time to cut air-quality regulations?

If so, the White House agrees with you.  On April 16th the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final recommendation that it was no longer “appropriate and necessary” to regulate the emissions of mercury and other toxins from coal- and oil-fired power plants. Though existing limits remain in place for now, they could well be challenged in court and struck down. The administration seems to be rushing now to inoculate its actions against future repeal, says Ann Carlson, a professor of environmental law at the University of California, Los Angeles.