BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum released the following statement regarding today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court affirming the State’s role as an equal partner to the federal government in regulating greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants.  

“The Supreme Court’s ruling today is a tremendously significant decision for State’s rights and for consumers. This ruling puts a halt to federal overreach, including far reaching EPA proposed rules that infringed not just on State’s but congressional authority,” Burgum said. “Leading with innovation, not regulation, and all-of-the-above energy strategies that are responsive to market trends, promote new technologies to boost production and curb emissions is an environmentally sound and common-sense approach. As the first state to achieve primacy over Class VI Carbon Capture, North Dakotans are leading the way in decarbonizing our energy while continuing to boast some of the nation’s cleanest air and water. At this time of global uncertainty, North Dakota has the energy policies to bring down the price at the pump, improve U.S. security and global stability, and protect the environment. We are grateful for the efforts of former Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and Attorney General Drew Wrigley for our strong partnership on protecting North Dakota’s right to innovate.”

In 2020, a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals struck down the U.S. EPA’s Affordable Clean Energy Rule, which recognized the shift in delegating to the States the primary authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plans under the Clean Air Act. The decision today in North Dakota vs. EPA reversed that ruling.