U.S. justices divided over challenge to mercury air pollution rule

By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court appeared closely divided on Wednesday as it weighed whether the Obama administration had to consider costs before deciding whether to regulate emissions of mercury and other hazardous pollutants mainly from coal-fired power plants. Justice Anthony Kennedy could be a possible swing vote on the nine-justice court, with liberals backing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rationale and conservatives hostile to the government's arguments. Chief Justice John Roberts also suggested he was troubled by the disparity between the costs and benefits of the regulation, saying it was a "red flag" for him. The government says it did not quantify some of the benefits, but says they could be worth billions of dollars, including a reduction in mercury poisoning, which can lead to developmental delays and abnormalities in children.



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