North Dakota Delegation Calls on EPA Administrator to Withdraw Duplicative, Burdensome Methane Rule

BISMARCK—U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and John Hoeven (R-ND) and Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) called on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to withdraw the agency’s proposed rule imposing burdensome and duplicative methane emission regulations on energy producers.

The delegation pushed back on the rule’s one-size-fits-all approach and outlined how it would force energy producers to shut down operations due to unworkable mandates, harming the nation’s energy security, reducing revenues to states, tribes and local governments and eliminating good-paying jobs. The EPA’s proposed rule is duplicative of the gas capture goals set by the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) without providing the same regulatory flexibility. Under the NDIC goal, North Dakota’s gas production grew to record levels and operators currently are achieving a gas capture rate of 95%.

“At a time when this country should be doing all it can to improve energy security and independence, and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, EPA has instead proposed a rule that would weaken the domestic energy industry through burdensome restrictions on oil and gas operations,” wrote the delegation. “Thanks to innovation, technology, and regulatory flexibility, North Dakota has played a key role in making the United States the world’s top oil and gas producer and a net exporter to global markets. At the same time, due to American innovation the U.S. has led the world in emissions reductions since 2005.”

“Maintaining our nation’s capacity to produce oil and gas is vital to protecting our economic and national security interests. Unless EPA reverses course, the proposed rule will drive up consumer energy costs and increase U.S. reliance on energy imports, including from adversarial foreign nations with little to no regard for environmental or labor standards.”

Click here to read the letter.