North Florida News
Attorney General Moody and FDOT Challenge Biden Administration Rule Requiring States Set Targets to Reduce On-road CO2 Emissions
Published
1 year agoon
By
Willie David
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is pushing back against the Biden administration’s federal overreach. Attorney General Moody, with the support of Governor Ron DeSantis, filed a lawsuit challenging a new Biden administration rule requiring all states with National Highway System mileage to set arbitrary emissions targets. In addition to today’s announcement, Florida’s foresight and prudent fiscal management practices are now the standard-bearer amongst states given FDOT being the sole state to take the responsible step by no longer participating in USDOT’s carbon reduction program.
According to this new rule, states are required to set arbitrary targets for reduced CO2 emissions, to track progress towards said targets and report to the federal government goal progress. This rule forces states to spend an inordinate amount of time, resources and money with no clear guidance for what success looks like. The complaint argues that Congress has not given the U.S. Department of Transportation the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “As if Biden’s unfounded and reckless energy policies haven’t devastated our economy enough, this new, foolhardy edict from the U.S. Department of Transportation will create even more financial hardships for our state and Floridians. We’re taking action today to ensure that this misguided new-emissions rule does not stand.”
Governor Ron DeSantis said, “Florida will not sit idly by while the Biden Administration tries to force the Green New Deal into existence through the U.S. Department of Transportation. Florida will always fight for freedom and against the federal government’s unlawful efforts to control the American people.”
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. said, “FDOT has continued to voice concerns about the rule for well over a year, yet never received complete answers before the rule was finalized—clearly showing it was done to push the federal government’s agenda for the Green New Deal and is not reflective of a collaborative effort from states across the country. Operating in this manner is irresponsible and reckless, which is why Florida proudly stands united with these other states to safeguard the freedoms that this nation is so well known for.”
In the complaint filed today in federal court, Attorney General Moody and a 21-state coalition of attorneys general assert that DOT’s Federal Highway Administration overstepped its legal authority. The coalition writes, “Congress has not given FHWA or USDOT authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions (‘GHG’). Nor can the Agencies compel the States to administer a federal regulatory program or mandate them to further Executive policy wishes absent some other authority to do so—which is lacking as to this rule.”
The action also makes clear that the proposed measure violates the principles of federalism by requiring states to implement a federal regulatory program. The complaint explains: “The Constitution is also clear that action by the States cannot be mandated through federal action like the Final Rule. ‘The Federal Government may not compel the States to enact or administer a federal regulatory program.’ [because] ‘the Constitution protects us from our own best intentions: It divides power among sovereigns and among branches of government precisely so that we may resist the temptation to concentrate power in one location as an expedient solution to the crisis of the day.’” Accordingly, “[e]ven if Congress believed the Final Rule was the best means of reducing CO2 in order to address climate change, the States could not be directed to implement the policy choices of the federal government.”
Further, the attorneys general note that FHWA previously issued a similar rule, soon repealed after the agency determined that the measure may duplicate “existing efforts in some States” and imposed “unnecessary burdens on State DOTs and MPOs [metropolitan planning organizations] that were not contemplated by Congress.”
In addition to Attorney General Moody, the following states signed onto the complaint: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Read the complaint here.
You may like
Governor DeSantis Wraps Up Italian Trade Mission with Groundbreaking MOU Signing and Advances in Aerospace and Healthcare
Fiery Orange-Osceola State Attorney Debate Exposes Deep Divisions, Calls for Election Investigation Intensify
-
Governor Ron DeSantis to Hold Press Conference in Tallahassee at 3:30 PM
North Florida News
Attorney General James Uthmeier Secures Guilty Conviction of Child Predator
Published
3 weeks agoon
April 2, 2025
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution secured a guilty conviction for Deandre Devone Williams on four felony counts for sexually abusing a minor. Williams traveled from Illinois to Florida to commit these crimes.
“Thanks to our law enforcement partners and Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Emily Frazier and Johnna Lessard for bringing this sick predator to justice,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Child sexual abuse is heinous, and anyone who harms a child will be held accountable. Our office will continue prioritizing these cases and ensure those who commit such disgusting crimes face the consequences.”
According to the law enforcement investigation, Williams, a resident of Illinois, contacted a 13-year-old victim through social media. Williams convinced the child that the two were in a romantic relationship and traveled from Illinois to meet the child in St. Augustine. The defendant then took the child to Ft. Lauderdale, where Williams spent the weekend with the victim in a hotel room. Williams sexually abused the child, then later dropped the victim off at a train station in Ft. Lauderdale, where the minor was unable to get home.
Williams was found guilty of four felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery, traveling to meet a minor, and interference with the custody of a child. Williams is scheduled to be sentenced in St. Johns County on May 2, 2025, and faces up to 50 years in prison.
North Florida News
Representative Adam Anderson to Present $5 Million to FSU Health at Pediatric Rare Disease Symposium
Published
7 months agoon
October 3, 2024
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) – Florida State University’s Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases at FSU Health will host the Pediatric Rare Disease Symposium on Monday, October 7, 2024, from 9 AM to 4 PM Eastern, bringing together the nation’s leading experts in pediatric rare disease research. The symposium aims to foster collaboration between researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to advance treatment and research for pediatric rare diseases.
State Representative Adam Anderson will kick off the event with special opening remarks, where he will present a $5 million funding check to support the Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases at FSU Health.
“Florida State University is at the forefront of pediatric rare disease research. This symposium will be the catalyst for a collaborative nationwide effort, ensuring that institutions share the best knowledge and practices to bring new cures and hope to millions of children and their families,” said Rep. Anderson.
Other highlights of the event include:
- Keynote address by Dr. Terence R. Flotte, Executive Deputy Chancellor and Provost at UMass Chan Medical School
- Presentations from experts representing NIH, Harvard, Stanford, University of Florida, University of Miami, and Nicklaus Children’s Health System
- Industry roundtable focusing on the intersection of industry, healthcare, and academia in advancing pediatric rare disease research
What to Bring:
- Relevant research materials or presentations
- Questions for the panelists and speakers
Note: The symposium is focused exclusively on pediatric rare disease research. For more information or to register, visit med.fsu.edu/iprd/.
FSUHealth, RareDiseaseResearch, PediatricCare, MedicalBreakthroughs, FSUSymposium
North Florida News
Harris Campaign to Launch Historic Mobilization Blitz in Florida Panhandle
Published
9 months agoon
July 26, 2024
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) – The Harris for President campaign is set to kick off its largest mobilization effort to date in the Florida Panhandle, capitalizing on the surge of grassroots energy across the state. This massive weekend of action, marking 100 days until the general election, comes just days after Vice President Kamala Harris secured her position as the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.
Starting tomorrow, the campaign will engage thousands of supporters through over 36 events statewide, including canvass launches, press events, and appearances by notable Democratic leaders such as Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, former Florida House Representative and Attorney General candidate Sean Shaw, and Florida House Representative Kevin Chambliss.
Key Points:
- Mass Mobilization: More than 36 events will take place across Florida, including the Florida Panhandle.
- High-Profile Support: Democratic leaders like Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Sean Shaw will participate.
- Grassroots Energy: Over 7,000 organic volunteer signups have been recorded.
- Campaign Goals: Harris is focusing on strengthening democracy, protecting reproductive freedom, and ensuring economic opportunities for all.
- Opposition Stance: The campaign contrasts Harris’s vision with Donald Trump’s Project 2025 agenda, which they claim would threaten rights and hurt the middle class.
The weekend’s events, open to media, include the Harris for President – 100 Days of Action Weekend Black Men’s Roundtable in Hillsborough County on Saturday, July 27, 2024, at 3:00 PM EST.
FNN Newsletter
Trending
Politics2 days agoAlan Grayson Shakes Up Senate District 15 Race, Targeting ‘Family Feud’ Candidates, an Attorney, and a GOP Hopeful
Entertainment2 days agoGet Ready for a Soulful Night with Fantasia Barrino and Anthony Hamilton at Addition Financial Arena
Politics1 day agoJason Pizzo Quits as Florida Senate Democratic Leader, Declares Party ‘Dead’
