At the end of the day, the Senate voted to stay the course and deliver consumers significantly cleaner air without raiding their pocketbooks.

These programs require far greater pollution reductions than does the NSR program. The simple truth is that the air is only going to get cleaner.

Of course, the positives for consumers were considerable.

One of our concerns is that EPA appears to be rushing full steam ahead with a revised standard before we have a chance to evaluate the benefits from the current standards.

These requirements reflect years of deliberation and represent the most effective path forward for guaranteeing major cuts in emissions while keeping electricity rates low.

The best way to address concerns about mercury emissions from U.S. power plants is to leave the existing regulations in place. Sending E.P.A. back to the drawing board would only delay regulation of power plant emissions, not accelerate them, as Senator Leahy and others claim.