Judge Rules Against Biden’s Climate Mandate

However, one of Biden’s recent climate mandates regarding the measuring of greenhouse gas emissions by state governments has just been denied by a US judge from Texas. 

As Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg explained, “This new performance measure will provide states with a clear and consistent framework to track carbon pollution and the flexibility to set their own climate targets.” 

Many, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, argued that the law “overstepped its congressional authority” by issuing regulations upon state governments. Texas even argued that the bill illegally restricted the use of federal funds and violated the Administrative Procedure Act. 

And on Wednesday, April 17, Judge Hendrix ruled against Biden’s bill and agreed with the Republican states that the federal government does not have the authority to force states to set emissions targets for transportation. 

After which, Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO.) and Rick Crawford (R-ARK.) said, “This was a clear case of blatant overreach by the Biden Administration from the beginning, and we commend the Court for its ruling.”

Although many see the mandate as a form of government control, the idea behind it was to encourage state governments to assist in reducing carbon emissions. If the bill hadn’t been overturned, it would have likely had an extremely positive effect on the nation’s greenhouse gases.

And according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) those millions of vehicles release so much carbon dioxide into the air every year that they make up 30% of the nation’s total carbon emissions. 

But because of Biden’s many bills fighting for green energy, including promoting the manufacturing of electric vehicles and forcing states to monitor carbon emissions through vehicles, it’s clear that this is what the president actually wants.

Shortly after his inauguration, Biden signed to rejoin the Paris Agreement, which is a legally binding international treaty on climate change that ensures participants take tangible action to increase green energy and decrease carbon emissions. 

The president has also passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which is the “most significant action Congress has taken on clean energy and climate change in the nation’s history.” As well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which contains several provisions to reverse the effects of climate change. 

Reports say that the Transportation Department, headed by Secretary Pete Buttigieg who staunchly supported Biden’s original bill is already hard at work attempting to file a similar bill that a judge won’t be able to overturn. 

If Trump does win, it’s extremely likely that he will try to reverse almost every single one of Biden’s climate action plans. However, he will need approval from the federal government to do so. Whether or not he’ll get it is yet to be seen.