A U.S. judge ruled against the Biden administration in a decision regarding a highway climate rule issued by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration in December 2023. The rule required states to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles using the U.S. highway system, as well as establish declining carbon dioxide targets. Texas sued the DOT over the rule, and U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump appointee, ruled in favor of Texas, stating that the rule was unauthorized. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had previously touted the rule as providing states with a framework to track carbon pollution and set climate targets.
In response to the rule issued by the DOT, the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that the department did not have the statutory authority to implement such a rule. They also claimed that the rule violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Spending Clause by impermissibly restricting the use of federal funds by requiring the Texas Department of Transportation to implement the greenhouse gas measure. Despite Buttigieg’s assertion that the rule would give states flexibility in setting their own climate targets, the ruling by Judge Hendrix sided with Texas, further complicating the Biden administration’s efforts to combat climate change through regulatory action.
In addition to the lawsuit over the highway climate rule, Texas is also suing the Biden administration over a separate climate-related issue. A group of 16 Republican states, including Texas, filed a lawsuit against the Department of Energy’s pause of major liquefied natural gas export terminal projects. Texas Attorney General Paxton criticized Biden’s actions, stating that they disregarded statutory mandates, disrupted the oil and gas industry, and undermined the Texas economy. These legal challenges from Republican-led states highlight the ongoing political and legal battles surrounding the Biden administration’s climate policies and regulations. The outcome of these lawsuits could have significant implications for the administration’s ability to implement its environmental agenda.
The decision by Judge Hendrix to rule against the Biden administration in the case of the highway climate rule could potentially impact the administration’s broader efforts to address climate change through regulatory means. The ruling underscores the challenges faced by the administration in implementing environmental policies and regulations, particularly in the face of legal challenges from states like Texas. The outcome of these legal battles will likely shape the administration’s approach to climate policy and regulation in the coming months and years, as it seeks to balance environmental objectives with legal and political considerations.
The legal challenges from Texas and other Republican-led states highlight the deep divisions and opposing viewpoints on climate policy and regulation in the United States. While the Biden administration has made combating climate change a top priority, these states have pushed back against what they perceive as federal overreach and regulatory actions that they argue harm their economies. The outcome of these legal battles will not only have implications for the specific policies at issue, but also for the broader debate over the federal government’s role in addressing climate change and the balance between environmental protection and economic interests in the U.S.
