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WASHINGTON – Following their conversation last month, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) questioned Michael Regan, President Joe Biden’s nominee for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), during his Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) nomination hearing.
Senator Cramer began his remarks applauding Mr. Regan’s pledge to work with stakeholders and states on environmental issues while noting President Biden’s Administration has not followed such a path when it comes to energy policy.
“States are some of your most important stakeholders in your new job … but I have not seen a lot of cooperation coming from the White House,” said Senator Cramer. “I’ve seen a lot of Executive Orders, we’ve seen a lot of dictates. With issues like the lease pauses on federal lands, the Keystone XL Pipeline … none of the states affected were ever consulted before the president signed those Executive Orders. I want to know how you will be different.”
Last month, Senator Cramer denounced President Biden for revoking the Keystone XL pipeline permit and introduced legislation to reverse his action.
Senator Cramer also highlighted the recently-finalized EPA methane rule and commented how a one-size-fits-all replacement rule would “disqualify states that already have methane rules.” He encouraged Mr. Regan to look into what regulations states already have in place before adding duplicative federal requirements, with North Dakota being an example of a state which already has methane regulations for oil and gas producers.
Senator Cramer concluded his remarks on cooperative federalism by pointing to the Obama-era regulations like Waters of the United States (WOTUS) and Clean Power Plan, which faced significant challenges in federal court from states, including North Dakota. He challenged Mr. Regan’s knowledge of the rules and the legal shortcomings within them.
