Revolt over New Federal Mercury Law ; the State-Led Push Could Weaken the EPA's Emissions-Trading System, Which Is Popular with Industry

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Facing a mandate to slash toxic mercury emissions from coal- fired power plants, 23 states are thumbing their noses at a federal cleanup plan and are instead developing their own far tougher plans to deal with mercury.

But doing so has caused many of them to miss a federal Nov. 17 deadline to submit their plans to the Environmental Protection Agency. Now, the EPA is ratcheting up the pressure. This week, the agency is expected to publish names of more than 20 states that could have the federal plan imposed on them if they don't submit tougher plans by next spring.

What it all adds up to is a major state-led rebellion over mercury emissions that dwarfs, for …