New York power plant gets a special pass on air pollution rules

US environmental regulators are proposing to approve a special plan for the Athens Generating Plant in New York. This plan would allow the plant to meet less strict nitrogen oxide emission standards than other facilities.

This document is a small, specific example of how environmental rules can be bent for individual facilities. It means that even as overall air quality standards tighten, some plants can negotiate their own terms. This could set a precedent for other plants to seek similar exemptions, potentially slowing down broader efforts to reduce air pollution.