Twelve large U.S. companies, including IBM Corp. and General Motors Corp., told the Environmental Protection Agency yesterday that they plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 5 to 50 percent, CBS MarketWatch reported.

Also yesterday, the EPA announced that 16 companies had signed on to its voluntary climate leaders program, including Moline, Ill.-based Deere & Co. The program helps companies track their progress at reducing their emissions of greenhouse gases by requiring them to report their progress every year. A total of 113 companies have joined the program since it started five years ago. Of the companies who have joined, 67 have established aggressive emissions-cutting goals that are projected to eliminate the equivalent of the yearly carbon dioxide emissions from more than 7 million cars.

The announcement of more companies making a commitment to help the environment is linked to anticipated federal legislation to reduce global warming trends. Yesterday, two U.S. senators submitted a bill aimed at accelerating the U.S. Energy Department’s research into trapping and storing harmful carbon emissions, especially those from coal-fired power plants.