Peace Garden News

Senator John Hoeven addressed the Greater North Dakota Chamber’s Build & Beyond conference in Dickinson, North Dakota. During his speech, he outlined priorities for the upcoming Congress and new administration, focusing on restoring U.S. energy dominance by unlocking the nation's energy potential.

Hoeven emphasized the need to rescind federal rules from the Biden administration that have increased energy production costs and restricted access to taxpayer-owned lands and minerals. He referenced regulatory relief under the Trump administration, which led to the U.S. becoming a net energy exporter, as a model for achieving energy security and reducing inflation.

The senator is sponsoring several legislative measures aimed at facilitating energy development and infrastructure projects. These include the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mineral Spacing Act to remove duplicative permitting regulations, the North American Energy Act to prevent delays in cross-border projects like pipelines, and legislation to streamline National Environmental Policy Act reviews for natural gas pipelines.

Hoeven also stressed supporting affordable baseload electricity from coal-fired power plants and enhancing carbon capture technologies in North Dakota's coal industry. “Through regulatory relief, lower taxes and legal certainty, the U.S. can be energy dominant once again," said Hoeven. "We’ve proven this time and again...under the Trump administration.”

He further discussed opportunities with the new Congress to roll back costly federal policies affecting natural gas and coal-fired electricity production, including various environmental standards and rules that restrict resource development on public lands.