A U.S. judge ruled against the Biden administration in a decision about a highway climate rule on Wednesday. The rule, issued by the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration in December 2023, mandated states to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles using the U.S. highway system.
In addition to reporting emissions, states were required to establish declining carbon dioxide targets and provide progress reports on those goals. Texas challenged the rule, leading to a legal battle.
U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, appointed by Trump, sided with Texas, stating that the rule was unauthorized. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had previously highlighted that the rule aimed to offer states a consistent framework for tracking carbon pollution and setting climate targets.
Responding to the ruling, the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that the Department of Transportation lacked the statutory authority to implement such a rule. They claimed the rule was arbitrary, capricious, and violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Spending Clause.
Notably, Texas is involved in another climate-related lawsuit against the Biden administration. Recently, a coalition of 16 Republican states filed a lawsuit against the Department of Energy's pause on major liquefied natural gas export terminal projects.
Paxton criticized Biden's actions, stating that the decisions were unilateral, disregarded statutory mandates, disrupted the oil and gas industry, and negatively impacted the Texas economy. The legal battles highlight the ongoing disputes between states and the federal government over climate-related policies.
