CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin says a proposal by the Obama administration to limit heat-trapping pollution from new power plants would be devastating for West Virginia.

The rule announced Tuesday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could either derail or jump-start plans for 15 new coal-fired power plants in 10 states, depending on when they start construction. Eventually, all coal-fired power plants would need to install equipment to capture half of their carbon pollution.

Tomblin says the EPA's guidelines would reduce jobs and drive up electricity costs in West Virginia.

The governor says the authority of regulating energy policy should rest with Congress, not the EPA. He says the focus should be on making the nation more energy independent and create jobs, not harm them.