California's top energy and environment officials were expected Wednesday to vociferously oppose a Trump administration effort to scrap an Obama-era policy aimed at fighting climate change by slashing emissions from coal-fired power plants.
The heads or top deputies of seven agencies, including the state's electrical grid operator, planned to testify at a federal Environmental Protection Agency hearing that repealing the policy ignores science and will endanger public health.
Hundreds of protesters ranging from schoolchildren to members of the American Lung Association also planned to rally at City Hall.
The EPA decided last year to repeal the Clean Power Plan, which required states to set goals for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from electrical generating plants by 2030. The policy aimed to push states to adopt cleaner forms of energy such as natural gas, wind and solar power.
However, because of regulatory procedures, it could take years for the administration to repeal the plan, and expected lawsuits and other legal challenges could delay that further.
California, already known for tough anti-smog laws, has firmly lined up in support of the plan. The state already is expected to exceed the required reductions. It is expected to get a third of its power from renewable energy sources by 2020.