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On Friday, James Cain, US District Judge in the Western District of Louisiana issued an order prohibiting the Biden Administration from using the “social price of carbon” to decide on oil and gas drilling in public land and rules governing fossil fuel emissions.
In decisions involving fossil fuel drilling approvals and emissions regulations, agencies weigh the economic harm.
Although the Biden administration has not yet used the metric for many decisions, it was expected that they would release an updated figure later in the month.
Ten Republican-led States brought the lawsuit against Biden’s administration. Cain sided for the states in his ruling. He stated that the administration’s carbon cost estimate would “significantly drive up costs” and decrease state revenue.
Cain stated that Louisiana’s coast lands will be “directly harmed” by the reduction in funds.
The Department of Justice did no immediate respond to a request for comment.
Hana Vizcarra from Earthjustice, whose organization was not involved in this case, stated that she would be surprised if the government didn’t appeal.
Vizcarra stated, “I can’t see how I could not appeal this, if it were the Justice Department.”
Vizcarra said that there isn’t much legal precedent supporting Cain’s decision, as a similar case brought by Republican States was tossed last year by an Obama-appointed federal Judge in Missouri.
In a statement, Jeff Landry, the Louisiana Attorney General, praised the decision.
Landry stated that Biden’s attempt “to control the activities and American people” has been stopped today. “Biden’s executive order was an attempt to tax and takeover the people based only on the winners and losers that the government had chosen.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
