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American regulations meant to safeguard people from mercury poisoning and %AirToxins no longer apply to U.S. coal plants.

U.S. President Donald Trump has exempted 47 companies from regulations that aim to curb mercury and air toxins produced at coal-fired power plants for the next two years.

The exemption was published in a regulatory update issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

It is the latest move by the Trump administration to limit industrial compliance with air and water regulations meant to protect people and the environment.

Last fall, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the “Mercury and Air Toxics Standard” after a group of mostly Republican states and industry groups launched a legal challenge to try and suspend it.

But now, President Trump has issued an exemption as he tries to revive the %Coal industry and prolong the life of aging coal power plants across the U.S.

Coal-burning plants generate less than 20% of U.S. electricity today, a decline from 50% in 2000, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Natural gas has largely replaced coal as a power source in America. Growth in solar and wind power has also cut into coal’s usage.

%Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that the American Lung Association has said can cause severe developmental harm.

Air toxins associated with coal burning can also lead to asthma, strokes, heart attacks, and lung cancer.

The previous administration of U.S. President Joe Biden required constant monitoring of emissions from coal-fired power plants.