The Latest: California opposes Trump climate change effort

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on a hearing in San Francisco over a Trump administration effort to end a policy slashing climate-changing emissions (all times local):

11 a.m.

California state officials, a tech billionaire and environmentalists are speaking out against a Trump administration effort to end a policy targeting climate-changing fossil fuels.

Hundreds were speaking Wednesday at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hearing in San Francisco. President Donald Trump's administration is holding the hearings nationwide on its plan to repeal an Obama-era policy combatting emissions at coal-fired power plants.

Billionaire Tom Steyer urged federal officials to listen to the Californians speaking against the repeal.

Steyer says the EPA sessions "can't just be a sham hearing. Not when the health and prosperity of the American people are at stake."

State air-quality official Mary Nichols told federal officials that California is in "complete opposition" to ending the policy.

11:15 p.m.

Top energy and environment officials from California are expected to testify against efforts by the Trump administration to scrap an Obama-era policy that aimed to slash fossil fuel emissions.

The heads or top deputies of seven agencies will testify Wednesday at a federal Environmental Protection Agency hearing in San Francisco.

They're expected to say that last year's decision to repeal the Clean Power Plan ignores science and will endanger public health.

Also, protesters ranging from schoolchildren to members of the American Lung Association planned to rally at City Hall.

The Clean Power Plan aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and speed the shift from coal to renewable energy sources.

California Gov. Jerry Brown and other lawmakers have backed strong efforts to reduce the state's reliance on fossil fuels, which have been linked to climate change.