ABSTRACTTreadmill of production theory offers a perspective for understanding the relationship between modern social institutions and environmental sustainability. We use this approach to analyze North Carolina’s Coastal Resource Commission (CRC), a state agency charged with overseeing economic development and environmental concerns on the coast. Data from CRC meetings provide insights into the policy-formation process and related policy outcomes associated with long-term ecological and social concerns, specifically related to sea-level rise. Findings indicate that the CRC continually developed policies and fashioned regulatory decisions that favored economic growth over environmental protection. Importantly, the CRC failed to prepare for the long-term effects of climate change, such as sea-level rise. Our analysis extends the treadmill of production perspective through a deeper engagement with Marxian state theorists. Our analysis suggests that the state’s various branches and levels contain internal “selectivities” that favor pro-growth policies while simultaneously filtering out stronger environmental protections.