BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum today released the following statement after President Joe Biden announced a ban on the import of Russian oil, liquified natural gas and coal to the United States.
“Banning Russian energy imports is the right step for the United States, our allies and the Ukrainian people suffering at the hands of Putin’s armed forces, which are funded with income from Russian oil and gas sales,” Burgum said. “The time is long overdue for the Biden administration to unleash U.S. oil and gas production and reduce global reliance on Russian energy. Turning to authoritarian regimes with weak environmental protections such as Venezuela and Iran to fill the supply gap is not the answer. American energy powerhouses like North Dakota stand ready to restore energy independence in the United States, because energy security, national security and global stability are one and the same.”
Burgum also sent a letter to President Biden today, echoing Congressman Kelly Armstrong’s invitation to the president to visit the Bakken region of North Dakota to see firsthand how clean, efficient, domestic oil production can help move the nation toward energy independence and enhance national security.