BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum released the following statement today after U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced two final rules updating air regulations for the oil and gas industry, including the elimination of a redundant rule on methane emissions imposed by the previous administration.
“While maintaining our place as the nation’s No. 2 oil producing state, North Dakota continues to have some of the cleanest air in the nation,” Burgum said. “We appreciate the EPA and Trump administration for recognizing the value of innovation over regulation and returning the rules to closer alignment with the original intent of the Clean Air Act. The final rule removes duplicative requirements and allows the industry to reinvest in existing and future infrastructure, protecting the environment and human health while also reducing regulatory costs passed on to American consumers.”
In addition, Burgum noted that North Dakota’s own air pollution control rules have substantially reduced emissions from all phases of oil development, including wellheads, transmission and gas processing. Last year, the North Dakota Legislature approved the governor’s recommendation to direct the state Department of Environmental Quality to achieve state primacy of the federal 0000 air quality program, commonly referred to as “Quad-O.”