EPA to rule on industrial emissions on Wednesday

The Environmental Protection Agency will issue the rule limiting emissions of mercury and other toxic air pollutants from boilers and some incinerators at 1:00 p.m., the agency said.

The EPA had asked for more time to issue the rule that was proposed last year, but a federal judge declined the request.

The rules on boilers at factories, paper mills and other industrial facilities aim to reduce emissions from boilers with so-called "maximum achievable control technology" or MACT.

They are expected to be followed later this year by an EPA proposal on toxic emissions rules on power plants. Those will likely be opposed by some power companies and lawmakers from states with economies that are heavily dependent on fossil fuels.

With Republicans taking control of the House of Representatives this year, many stakeholders will be looking at both sets of EPA rules to see if the Obama administration goes a little easier on polluters or takes a tougher stance.

Fred Upton, who heads the House Energy and Commerce Committee has said the boiler rules will hurt jobs. Meanwhile Democrats who control the Senate have said they expect the rules could add jobs in emissions controls.

The EPA also plans to issue rules to emissions of greenhouse gases from oil refineries and power plants later this year.

Analysts have said the power plant MACT rules on toxic pollutants could force old, inefficient coal-fired electricity generators into early retirement.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Marguerita Choy)