09.19.18

Hoeven Statement on Revised BLM Flaring Rule

Senator Continues Working to Streamline Gas-Gathering Infrastructure Approvals to Reduce Flaring

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement after the administration finalized its revisions for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) flaring rule. The final rule removes the one-size-fits-all approach to addressing flaring, and instead recognizes the rights of tribes to manage energy development on their lands. The rule will become effective after a 60-day public comment period.

“BLM created a duplicative rule that added a layer of enforcement on top of the EPA and state’s air quality standards,” said Hoeven. “This unnecessary hurdle adds cost and hampers energy development on federal lands, which means fewer jobs for local residents and less revenue for federal, state, local and tribal governments. The Administration’s revisions to the rule will remove the one-size-fits-all approach to addressing flaring.  At the same time, we continue working to streamline the approval of gas-gathering lines, which will help both states and tribes to reduce flaring and benefit from this valuable resource.”

Today’s revisions were first proposed by the administration in February. Prior to this, Hoeven joined the President and Interior Secretary as they implemented orders to begin rolling back a variety of regulations that hamper domestic energy production, including BLM’s methane rule. The senator also cosponsored a resolution to repeal the rule.

Reducing Flaring

Hoeven has worked to reduce natural gas flaring by addressing the BLM’s backlog of permit applications for gas-gathering infrastructure and pressing for workable, state-led regulations. To this end, the senator helped introduce the bipartisan Natural Gas Gathering Enhancement Act last Congress, which sets deadlines for and expedites the permitting of natural gas gathering lines on federal and Indian land. The delays at BLM prevent the development of needed infrastructure and contribute to unnecessary venting and flaring from oil and gas wells. 

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