EPA New Pollution Rules for Power Plants 2011 : United States administration has agreed to work as per  new pollution rules for power plants by November 2011, according to groups that sued to force action from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The new regulations to cut toxic air pollutants such as mercury will target coal- and oil-burning utilities, the environmental and public-health groups announced yesterday.

The coalition, which includes the Natural Resources Defense Council and Clean Air Task Force, sued the EPA last year, contending that it had failed to meet the Clean Air Act’s deadline for issuing rules controlling toxic emissions from power plants.

“We are very pleased with the outcome of this case and look forward to working with the EPA to develop emissions standards for this industry that mandate deep cuts in this pollution that the law requires,” Ann Weeks, legal director of the Clean Air Task Force, said in a statement.

Scott Segal, director of the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council, a coalition of energy companies, said the “aggressive” schedule for new rules was unwarranted, in part because EPA data show emissions from the utility industry have been declining.

“More regulation may not produce better environmental results,” Segal said in a statement. “If the manufacturing sector faces escalating energy costs and moves overseas, there will be an increased reliance on less efficient and dirtier energy abroad.”

EPA spokeswoman Dave Ryan said he had no immediate comment.

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