A big Senate vote this week will determine the fate of mercury safeguards that continue to garner overwhelming support from Americans nationwide. This past weekend the U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously passed a resolution (PDF) supporting the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) mercury pollution standards. This comes on the heels of NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's letter to the EPA, signed by 91 of his fellow mayors, in support of these critical public health protections.

Millions of Americans believe EPA is doing the right thing in requiring that coal companies clean up their act when it comes to mercury pollution. This week, supermodel and super mom Elle Macpherson joined us with a column on CNN.com about the importance of these public health safeguards in protecting our children.

But now, as expected, pro-coal legislators are taking the fight to Congress. This week Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) is introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA)  - S.J. Res. 37 - to block these mercury standards. A vote is expected Wednesday.

These long overdue safeguards are poised to protect millions of Americans - particularly pregnant women and young children - from dangerous air pollutants like mercury, arsenic, cyanide, nickel and acid gases. These are practical, ...

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