16 states ask Obama administration to put power plant emissions limits on hold while they sue

Sixteen states are banding together to ask the Obama administration to put its greenhouse gas limits for power plants on hold while they sue to stop them.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and 15 other attorneys general submitted their request in a letter Wednesday to the Environmental Protection Agency. They're asking the EPA to respond by Friday.

The EPA and the White House have said they believe the limits are legal and have no plans to put it on hold. The attorneys general are submitting the formal request anyway to lay the groundwork to ask the courts to issue a stay once the EPA rejects their request.

The attorneys general say they'll soon file a lawsuit challenging the legality of the emissions limits. Obama unveiled the final plan Monday.