MADISON, Wis. -- Gov. Jim Doyle outlined on Tuesday morning a tentative plan to cut more mercury emissions from Wisconsin coal-fired power plants and other pollutants that has the support of the utility industry, the state Department of Natural Resources secretary and a statewide environmental group.

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Doyle said during a press conference at Alliant Energy headquarters that the DNR Board should pass the proposed rule to protect the health of Wisconsin families and the state's lucrative recreational fishing industry.

Under the proposal, utilities in the state would cut mercury emissions from coal-based power plants by 90 percent by 2015. Utilities could meet that goal or take a slower path toward it if they reduce other key air pollutants, WISC-TV reported.

Doyle said that the proposed rule "provides some flexibility for utilities" because they can choose to phase in the emission cut on mercury if they also reduce their emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide along the way.

Officials with Alliant Energy and Madison Gas & Electric both support the plan. Alliant officials said the proposal was "balanced" and said they are hopeful it gives utilities what they need to both meet customer energy demands and obligations to help protect the environment.

Alliant officials said that they're still working on what the proposal would cost customers.

Wisconsin Wildlife Federation director George Meyer, a former DNR Secretary, said that the plan would mean between 50 cents to $1 more per month on average for utility customers. An Alliant spokesman said that the company is still figuring out cost figures under the plan, but that customers would probably have to pay a little more than that.

Officials with Clean Wisconsin, an environmental group, said that they support the tentative deal. Keith Reopelle said that the state currently has a rule to cut 75 percent of its mercury emissions from coal power plants, but the new plan would increase those cuts and protect children and child-bearing women from ingesting mercury in fish that can trigger developmental disabilities in children.

The state's DNR Board must pass the rule before it can take effect. A public hearing on the proposal is set for next month, WISC-TV reported.

Doyle said that he is optimistic the board and state Legislature will approve the rule. He said that a Supreme Court ruling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's mercury emission cut plan was struck down, and that clears the way for Wisconsin to move forward with its own increased cuts.