One year later: Fedorchak’s deregulation agenda delivers results
Washington, D.C. — One year after Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) urged then President-elect Donald Trump and Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum to roll back the Biden administration’s 20 most damaging energy regulations, Fedorchak’s call for reform has delivered meaningful action that restores common sense to federal energy policy.
“When I sent this letter a year ago, my goal was simple: help roll back federal rules that have placed undue burdens on energy producers, increased costs for Americans, and weakened grid reliability,” Fedorchak said. “Today, 17 of those rules are rescinded or on their way out. Thanks to the Trump administration's leadership and commitment to restoring American energy dominance, this past year marks a clear turning point. The regulatory agenda that punished American energy and drove up costs is being dismantled, rule by rule.”
In January 2025, Fedorchak sent a detailed letter identifying 20 federal rules that drove up costs, threatened grid reliability, and put North Dakota energy workers at a disadvantage. Today, 17 of those regulations have been fully repealed, withdrawn, vacated by courts, or are actively being rolled back.
Major Wins:
North Dakota’s BLM Resource Management Plan: Repealed through a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution led by Fedorchak, restoring access to energy development while protecting 12,000 North Dakota jobs and $34M in annual state revenue. The legislation was signed into law by President Trump last month.
The Biden EPA’s methane fee rule: Overturned, eliminating a costly new tax on oil and gas producers. The legislation to repeal the rule was cosponsored by Fedorchak.
EV mandate: The ‘EV mandate’ was withdrawn, with the administration moving toward a market-driven vehicle policy.
National highway standards: Federal highway greenhouse gas mandates were struck down in court and formally rescinded, restoring states’ ability to focus on building critical infrastructure.
Biden-era power plant and air rules: Multiple rules including Clean Power Plan 2.0, stricter Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), the methane NSPS rule, and the proposed PM2.5 tightening have been repealed, withdrawn, vacated, or placed under formal reconsideration following legal review and grid reliability concerns.
EPA Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule: The Biden EPA’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule is being rewritten to comply with the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA decision, narrowing federal jurisdiction and restoring certainty for landowners, farmers, and energy producers.
EPA Legacy Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Rule: North Dakota’s CCR application was approved by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in November alongside Fedorchak and Governor Kelly Armstrong in Bismarck. The decision makes North Dakota only the fourth state in the U.S. to have an approved CCR permit program. Proposed expansions of coal combustion residuals (CCR) regulations were shelved before finalization, preventing new compliance mandates that would have raised costs and accelerated baseload power retirements.
EPA clean energy standards for federal buildings: The Department of Energy’s fossil fuel phaseout rule for federal buildings is under active reconsideration after Congress advanced legislation, cosponsored by Fedorchak, to repeal the mandate. The bill has passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee, while the Department has delayed compliance and paused enforcement amid concerns about cost, reliability, and feasibility.
Despite these successes, Fedorchak acknowledges more work remains. “While agencies like EPA have taken steps to delay implementation of certain rules and provide compliance flexibility, Congress must support their objectives with statutory reform,” Fedorchak added. “When bad regulations are baked into law, meaningful relief requires Congress to step up and pass commonsense legislation. I look forward to working with my colleagues to do just that.”
CLICK HERE to read the full letter.
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