Central ND News

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven issued a statement following the U.S. Senate's passing of a resolution to overturn emissions mandates on state departments of transportation (DOTs. The resolution, sponsored by Senator Kevin Cramer, aimed to eliminate costly and overreaching mandates imposed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on state DOTs.

Last year, the FHWA reintroduced an Obama-era rule that required state DOTs to enforce declining targets for CO2 emissions from vehicle traffic. Senator Hoeven and his colleagues had previously urged the FHWA to retract the rule, highlighting the agency's lack of authority from Congress to impose such regulations.

Senator Hoeven expressed his concerns about the impact of the mandates, particularly on rural states like North Dakota. He stated, "Burdensome mandates like this FHWA rule disproportionately harm large rural states like North Dakota and will inflate the costs of needed repairs and updates to roadways, bridges and other transportation systems, meaning taxpayers get less for more."

Furthermore, Senator Hoeven criticized the Biden administration for what he perceived as recurrent overreach and negative effects on the U.S. economy through extensive federal regulations. He emphasized that the resolution was part of broader efforts to provide regulatory relief, alleviate burdens, and ensure accountability within the administration.

The passing of this resolution signifies a step towards addressing concerns raised by Senator Hoeven and his colleagues regarding the FHWA emissions mandates on state DOTs.