PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Environmental Protection Agency today is expected to issue regulations on pollution from big boilers and incinerators. It’s been a long and strange battle.

The idea here is to reduce pollutants such as mercury, lead and dioxins, under the Clean Air Act.

Dr. James Plumb of Physicians for Social Responsibility sees the equation as simple.

“Just another step we need to take to protect human health and lives.”

Thousands of lives, say the backers of the regulations, and prevent a million and a half respiratory illnesses a year.  But these regs, years in the crafting, were deemed too tough by EPA itself which tried to delay issuance, only to be told by a federal judge, enough foot-dragging.

There’s considerable disagreement between the boiler industry and regulation backers over how much this will cost compared to how much it will save, in terms of money, jobs and lives.

Reported by John Ostapkovich, KYW Newsradio