Climate change plan faces high-profile legal test

WASHINGTON (AP) — The cornerstone of President Barack Obama’s plan to address climate change is still months away from being finished, but it’s already facing a high-stakes legal challenge from critics who want to halt the process in its tracks.

A federal appeals court hears arguments Thursday in two cases challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to cut Earth-warming pollution from the nation’s coal-fired power plants.

The lawsuits from a coalition of 15 states and a coal mining company are part of a growing political attack from opponents who say the move will kill jobs, cripple demand for coal and drive up electricity prices.

At issue is whether the EPA has authority for its plan under the Clean Air Act. The EPA says it acted within the law and calls the lawsuits premature.

©2015 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.