North Dakota – Governor Kelly Armstrong issued a statement Tuesday applauding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to begin the process of repealing two major regulations enacted under the Biden administration: the “Clean Power Plan 2.0” and the updated Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS).

The move comes just one month after Armstrong met with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in Washington, D.C., where the governor urged the agency to reverse what he described as overreaching and burdensome policies targeting coal-fired power plants. North Dakota, home to several coal-based energy facilities, has argued that such regulations threaten affordable energy supply and grid reliability.

“This is what smart federal regulatory reform looks like,” Armstrong said in a written statement. “It’s refreshing to finally have a regulatory agency that takes input from the people who produce what the world needs – and allows them to do it better than anyone else while protecting the environment.”

Armstrong praised the Trump administration and Administrator Zeldin for advancing what he called “common-sense regulation” and supporting domestic energy production.

North Dakota is currently involved in litigation against both rules. The state has argued that the Clean Power Plan 2.0 would effectively force the shutdown of coal plants by mandating a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2032 — a target state officials say is not technologically or economically feasible. The lawsuits further contend that both rules exceed the EPA’s statutory authority under the Clean Air Act and pose significant risks to the reliability of the national power grid.

The MATS rule, aimed at curbing emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from power plants, was also challenged by North Dakota and other states. Plaintiffs argue the rule’s updated requirements are not supported by adequate cost-benefit analysis and would result in unnecessary plant closures.

The EPA’s formal proposal to repeal the two rules is expected to go through a public comment period before any final decision is made. While environmental advocacy groups are likely to oppose the repeal, industry groups and several states reliant on coal-fired electricity generation have expressed strong support for the rollback.

The outcome could have significant implications for future emissions policy, power sector regulation, and the ongoing legal debate over the extent of federal agency authority under the Clean Air Act.