New regulations unveiled today are being described as the U.S. government’s most sweeping effort to date in curbing the emissions that cause global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency will reportedly announce a draft rule seeking a 30 percent reduction of carbon emissions at coal-fired power plants by the year 2030. The rules would be finalized within a year and take effect in 2016. In his weekly radio address, President Obama said the new regulations will bring cleaner air.

President Obama: “Today, about 40 percent of America’s carbon pollution comes from power plants. But right now, there are no national limits to the amount of carbon pollution that existing plants can pump into the air we breathe. None. We limit the amount of toxic chemicals, like mercury, sulfur and arsenic, that power plants put in our air and water. But they can dump unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into the air. It’s not smart, it’s not safe, and it doesn’t make sense.”