WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, issued the following statement after the state of North Dakota’s motion to intervene in litigation filed by the Sierra Club against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was granted. Of the 37 states involved in the litigation, North Dakota is the only one to intervene.
“We’ve seen sweetheart sue-and-settle deals between the EPA and environmental groups too often. I’m glad to see Attorney General Wrigley was successful in intervening. The Biden administration has proven its disregard for the state’s rights enshrined in the Clean Air Act, and North Dakota has a lot to lose if we don’t defend our interests.”
On August 11, 2022, North Dakota filed its latest state implementation plan for the federal Regional Haze Program with the EPA, which aims to achieve natural visibility conditions in national parks and wilderness areas. While the EPA determined the plan included sufficient information it has yet to act within the statutory clock, allowing the Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association, and Environmental Integrity Project to file litigation against the EPA. North Dakota’s plan recognizes the state has already met or exceeded their targets and will continue making progress without imposing dramatic cost increases on energy producers.