The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has moved forward with plans to impose limits to the amount of carbon pollution emitted by new power plants. Currently, there are no limits on carbon pollution from power plants. The EPA's Carbon Pollution Standard creates a limit of no more than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide pollution for each megawatt of electricity produced. The new rule is set to go into effect in 2013.

Max Mueller, executive director of Environment Illinois, released the following statement upon hearing the news:

"Today’s proposal from the Obama administration is an historic step in protecting Illinoisans' health and our environment. By setting the first-ever standards for the largest source of the carbon pollution that fuels global warming, President Obama and EPA Administrator [Lisa] Jackson are putting our health above the demands of the polluter lobby.

"Along with the steps being taken to cut other dangerous power plant pollutants such as soot, smog, mercury and other toxic pollutants and the new standards for fuel efficiency, these carbon pollution standards will mark historic progress in protecting our health, reducing waste, and encouraging job creating innovation in the clean energy economy.

"Illinoisans understand the value of clean air, and while the polluter lobby can be expected to trot out the same tired attacks and tactics, they won’t stop the progress and they will have to clean up their act.

"Now that standards have been proposed, we look forward to demonstrating the strong public support for clean air and healthy families, and to making sure that the proposed standards are finalized later this year.

"We also applaud Administrator Jackson for continuing to work with scientists, economists and public health officials on a process for addressing carbon pollution from existing power plants. The health and safety of current and future generations depends on us tackling this problem."