(ND Ag Connection) – By Scout Nelson
Governor Doug Burgum, alongside 19 other Republican governors, has taken a significant step by sending a collective letter to President Biden, advocating for a shift in U.S. energy policies.
This collaborative action occurred during a press conference held at PBF Energy’s refinery in Chalmette, Louisiana, where they publicly voiced their concerns and recommendations.
The governors who signed this letter include representatives from a wide range of states such as Alaska, Arkansas, and Wyoming, reflecting a broad consensus on the need for a diversified energy policy that supports both traditional and renewable sources.
They expressed deep concern over the current federal energy policies impacting American households by increasing costs and pushing energy demands toward foreign adversaries.
Governor Burgum highlighted the widespread impact of high energy prices on Americans, emphasizing that inflation and rising energy costs affect everyone, irrespective of political affiliation.
He criticized the federal government’s approach, which he claims stifles innovation within the traditional energy sector and inadvertently supports energy imports from less environmentally conscious nations.
The letter calls for an end to what the governors perceive as a hostile regulatory environment towards traditional energy sources.
It advocates for a strategy that includes states in decision-making processes and promotes a free-market approach to achieve energy independence and dominance.
Such a strategy, Burgum notes, would allow the U.S. to support its allies rather than relying on energy imports from geopolitical rivals.
Governors Mike Dunleavy of Alaska, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Jeff Landry of Louisiana, Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia also participated in the press conference, demonstrating a unified stance on this critical issue.
The group’s initiative highlights a pivotal moment in the national dialogue on energy policy, aiming to influence the administration to reconsider its current trajectory and embrace a more holistic and domestically beneficial energy strategy.