The House will likely vote this week on measures to delay or weaken Environmental Protection Agency rules reducing air pollution from industrial boilers, incinerators and cement plants.

House Republicans leaders have taken aim at a new EPA rule that would require cement producers, incinerators and industrial boilers to reduce their mercury and other harmful emissions by 90 per cent. The rule is set to go into effect in 2013.

Republican called on President Barack Obama today to urge the Democratic-controlled Senate to support a measure that would delay or weaken the new standards. Politicians also asked him to sign the bills if they make it to his desk.

“There are reasonable regulations that protect our children and help keep our environment clean,” they wrote in a letter to the president. “But there are also excessive regulations that unnecessarily increase costs for consumers and small businesses, and make it harder for our economy to create jobs. The rules addressed by the bills the House will consider this week are examples of such harmful government excess.”

The bills, which the House could take up tomorrow, are part of Republicans’ push to reduce and prevent regulations that they see as unreasonably stringent and having excessive economic costs. The bills up for consideration this week would delay the cement and boiler rules and require the EPA to reissue them.