BISMARCK, N.D.– Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposal to roll back the Biden-era methane rule, restoring flexibility for oil and gas operators while maintaining health and environmental standards. Hoeven and the North Dakota delegation previously pushed back on the rule’s one-size-fits-all approach, outlining how it would force energy producers to shut down operations due to unworkable mandates. Further, the Biden-era 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 while operators achieved a gas capture rate of 95%.

 “We appreciate EPA Administrator Zeldin for working with us to roll back the Biden-era methane rule, which imposed unworkable mandates that would have forced the shutdown of existing oil and gas wells and severely hampered the development of new wells. That would mean decreased revenue to state and local governments, the loss of good-paying energy sector jobs and a less energy-secure nation,” said Hoeven. “We demonstrated clearly in North Dakota that we can achieve greater gas capture without imposing burdensome, one-size-fits-all rules. By restoring flexibility, this proposal will strengthen U.S. domestic energy production, help reduce costs for producers and consumers and empower states and operators to employ cost-effective solutions to capture more natural gas and reduce flaring.”

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