Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont is praising the Environmental Protection Agency for forcing coal- and oil-fired power plants to reduce emissions.

The independent lawmaker said Clean Air Act standards announced Wednesday by the EPA will cut toxic air pollution, such as mercury and arsenic, from U.S. power plants.

Sanders said power plants that have not installed equipment to reduce emissions are the largest remaining source of uncontrolled toxic air pollution in the United States.

The EPA rule would prevent the release of about 90 percent of the mercury in coal and cut emissions of other toxic substances, such as arsenic.

Sanders cited medical studies saying the rule would prevent 11,000 premature deaths and 4,700 heart attacks a year.