Biden-Era Climate Rule Dead After Court Grants Dismissal of Appeal
6th February 2025
A climate rule issued during the Biden administration is officially dead after judges on Feb. 3 granted the new administration’s request to drop an appeal.
Three judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, acting on a recent request from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), dismissed the government’s appeal of a ruling that found the FHWA administrator overstepped his authority in issuing the rule, which forced states to take steps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles.
The judges cited a court rule that lets appealing parties dismiss appeals voluntarily if doing so would not create injustice or unfairness. The states that sued over the rule did not oppose the dismissal.
U.S. District Judge Benjamin J. Beaton ruled in 2024 that the rule went beyond the authority that lawmakers had given the FHWA administrator.