Trump Passes Deregulation that Could lead to Arsenic, Mercury, Lead in Water

Alejandro Rios, reporter

Water is one of the most important resources for humanity. Around the world countries

are working to conserve their water sources through conservation, unfortunately, that is not what we are facing in the United States. President Trump recently passed deregulation on coal plants that would allow them to release arsenic, mercury, and lead into the water of 1.1 million

Americans.

This decision by President Trump rolls back Obama era regulation on coal plants. The

regulation stopped the emission of coal ash into water. Coal ash contains heavy metals such as

arsenic, mercury, and lead which are toxic.

The states that are most likely to be affected by this deregulation are Virginia, West

Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, three of which the President won in the 2016 election.

The regulation cost the coal industry approximately $480 million but saved money in the

pockets of Americans by decreasing health conditions caused by removing toxic contaminants

from the drinking water of the people.

Jinho Bae, a junior in Virginia says, “I obviously disagree with Trump’s policy. Definitely not good for the environment, especially with Virginia having major rivers running through it. This is not just bad for Virginia; deregulation is detrimental for the country as a whole.” Virginia faced one of the worst coal ash spills back in 2014 in Danville next to the Dan River. “Danville was already facing issues, and the spill just made the situation worse.” The Trump administration’s deregulation will directly impact the lives of people like Jinho Bae who live in heavily-affected areas such as Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

As the nation faces severe heatwaves and wildfires, and the effects of global warming

always seem more pressing, the Trump administration works on deregulating emissions. The

Trump campaign office receives high donations from people like Bob Murray, a titan of the coal

industry who will benefit from this deregulation. This deregulation rolls back and hurts the work

of people like former President Barack Obama, Al Gore, and Robert Billot, and negatively

affects the livelihood of the American people, the only ones benefiting from this are the CEO’s

and owners of coal companies.

As CEO’s and corporations see help from the government, the people are abandoned and

revoked an advancement for the environment and themselves.