On Wednesday night, a federal court overturned a Biden administration regulation mandating that states and localities establish climate goals for transportation.
The Republican-led states who sued over the finding that the Biden administration had the authority to order them to set the targets were granted relief by former President Trump appointment Judge James Hendrix.
Hendrix contended that the administration was not legally permitted to incorporate environmental standards into state evaluations of the “performance” of highways.
As per his writing, the legislation concerning the ““performance of the Interstate/National Highway Systems” pertains to the “effectiveness of the infrastructure in promoting travel, trade, and national security—not the environmental consequences of the vehicles that utilize the systems.”
The Federal Highway Administration’s rule mandated that state and local transportation agencies establish goals for reducing emissions that contribute to global warming and provide updates on their progress.
A nationwide system for calculating and disclosing emissions connected to transportation was also established.
The Transportation Department’s highway administration, through a spokesman, stated that the organization was analyzing the ruling and determining how to proceed. The administration’s commitment to addressing climate change was emphasized by the spokeswoman.
Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, applauded the court’s decision.
Reps. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) and Sam Graves (R-Mo.) issued a joint statement saying, “This was a clear case of blatant overreach by the Biden Administration from the beginning, and we commend the Court for its ruling.”
They called the rule an “unlawful attempt to circumvent Congress and force this one-size-fits-all burden upon every state and community across the country.”
