Bush said he remained committed to an energy policy that sought to improve air quality by requiring power plants to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury, which are already regulated as pollutants.
Coal generates more than half of America's electricity supply.
As recently as 10 days ago, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman noted that the Bush administration was considering mandating reductions on carbon dioxide emissions at power plants, a proposal that has drawn criticism from industry groups. Bush's letter was released just a day after the White House received a letter from 13 environmental groups, including the American Lung Association and the Union of Concerned Scientists, urging Bush to move quickly to fulfill his campaign promise to clean up power plant emissions of four major pollutants, including carbon dioxide. The treaty, negotiated and signed by the former Clinton administration, has not yet been ratified by the United States. Bush said he opposes the treaty because it exempts 80 percent of the world, including major population centers such as China and India, from compliance, and would cause serious harm to the U.S. economy. Following is the text of the letter, which was addressed to Senators Jesse Helms of North Carolina, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Pat Roberts of Kansas and Larry E. Craig of Idaho.