Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey joined a 25-state coalition in filing a lawsuit against President Joe Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over a rule that will impose burdensome emissions standards on the states without congressional authorization.
“Our federal Constitution does not recognize a fourth branch of government that can create rules and interfere with Americans’ private lives. As Attorney General, I will always fight to ensure Joe Biden’s federal agencies respect the Constitution by ensuring federal bureaucrats cannot enact rules without express congressional authority,” said Attorney General Bailey. “Joe Biden’s unconstitutional attempt to legislate through the EPA would force Missourians’ energy costs to increase exponentially. My office will continue to stand in the gap to protect Missourians against the federal government’s unconstitutional overreach.”
In the lawsuit, General Bailey asserts that the EPA has exceeded its statutory authority under the Clean Air Act by forcing states to submit emissions compliance plans under impossible conditions. He argues that the action is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not in accordance with the law.
He is asking the court to declare the rule unconstitutional.
Attorney General Bailey has had immense success in a similar lawsuit against Biden’s EPA, winning a stay at the Eighth Circuit for Biden’s unlawful attempt to impose burdensome ozone regulations on Missourians.
In addition to Missouri, the states of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming joined in filing the lawsuit.
