WASHINGTON, D.C. – A federal appeals court on Tuesday threw out a pair of high-profile lawsuits challenging the Obama administration's sweeping plan to address climate change, saying it's too early to challenge a proposed rule that isn't yet final.

The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is a temporary setback to opponents of the plan who are expected to renew their legal attack once the regulation is finalized later this year.

The lawsuits from a coalition of 15 states and the nation's largest privately-held coal mining company claim the EPA exceeded its authority last year when it proposed the far-reaching plan to curb pollution from the nation's existing coal-fired power plants.