Texas governor promises lawsuits over Biden climate regulations

GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday vowed to fight President Biden’s climate agenda that seeks to transition away from the oil and gas industry.

The Austin American-Statesman reports that Abbott stated he intends to sue the federal government over environmental legislation, a tactic he practiced extensively during the Obama administration. The governor claims to have sued the Obama administration 31 times when he was attorney general for the state.

“We’re here for a singular purpose today. To make clear that Texas is going to protect the oil and gas industry from any type of hostile attack launched from Washington, D.C,” Abbott said to industry leaders during a roundtable meeting in Odessa, Texas.

Biden signed a series of executive orders on Wednesday meant to address climate change issues. The orders include one that seeks to conserve 30 percent of public lands and waters by 2030 and another that aims to have the U.S. reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

On his first day in office, Biden signaled that his administration would be prioritizing climate change by rejoining the Paris climate agreement.

The newspaper notes that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has already begun challenges against the Biden administration, filing a lawsuit over the 100-day moratorium on deportation issued by Biden. The order was temporarily blocked from being enforced by a federal judge on Tuesday.

Biden’s executive orders also paused new oil and gas leases on public lands and ended federal subsidies for fossil fuels “as consistent with applicable law.”

The Statesman notes that oil and gas industry leaders in Texas have expressed concerns for smaller oil producers that likely do not have the funds to comply with stricter environmental regulations while also still dealing with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.