Cramer calls BLM regulations on flaring unnecessary

Following a recent decision from Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to enact new regulations on flaring methane emissions on federal and tribal lands, U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) condemned the move as an effort to hamper the gas industry.

“These regulations have nothing to do with protecting the environment and everything to do with shutting down the oil and gas industry in our country,” Cramer said. "We do not need more regulations to limit the impact of flaring on the environment. The oil and gas industry understands the value of capturing the methane gas and using it to meet America’s energy needs.”

In Cramer’s home state, the Environmental Protection Agency and the state itself have already enacted regulations on flaring, and Cramer rejected the BLM’s justification of environmental and health problems triggered by greenhouse gases.

“Even with the dramatic increase in oil and gas development in the state there is no justification for the BLM to adopt these rules because the state’s current regulations protect the environment,” Cramer said. “In fact, the American Lung Association has scored all North Dakota counties with an A grade in its 2015 ‘State of the Air’ report card. The BLM’s new rules duplicate the successful regulatory efforts already in place in North Dakota and create a paperwork and compliance nightmare for many small businesses.”