Senator John Hoeven has expressed concerns regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new methane emissions rule, which he claims imposes burdensome regulations on energy producers. As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Hoeven criticized the Biden administration’s approach.
“Instead of unleashing more domestic energy production, the Biden administration continues to put the handcuffs on our producers through burdensome and duplicative regulations,” said Hoeven. He further stated that the EPA rule could lead to increased energy costs for consumers and greater reliance on foreign energy imports from nations with lower environmental standards. According to Hoeven, “The Biden administration needs to reverse course and start empowering energy and natural gas producers here at home, for the good of our economy and our national security.”
Earlier in 2023, Hoeven along with other members of North Dakota’s delegation opposed the rule’s one-size-fits-all approach. They argued it would force some energy producers to shut down operations due to unworkable mandates, thus harming national energy security, reducing state revenues, and eliminating jobs. The proposed EPA rule is seen as duplicative of existing goals set by the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC), which already achieved a gas capture rate of 95% without such stringent regulations.
