NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today finalized a plan for North Dakota which would shut down large amounts of federal lands to oil, gas, and coal leases for future development.  Senator John Hoeven and Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak both released statements against the Resource Management Plan (RMP). Fedorchak served on the North Dakota Public Service Commission and worked to regulate the state's coal mining and reclamation industry. She worked with former Governor Doug Burgum and other state leaders to challenge the new plan. According to the press release from her office, the plan would close leasing on more than four million acres, or nearly 99%, of federal coal acreage, and 213,000 acres, or 44%, of federally owned fluid mineral acreage from leasing. “Yet again, President Biden is appeasing special interests at the expense of North Dakota energy production and jobs. The finalized BLM RMP will close extensive amounts of North Dakota federal lands to oil, gas, and coal leases for future development. This is absolutely the wrong direction,” Congresswoman Fedorchak said. “As demand for energy reaches record highs, we should be unleashing American energy production — not shutting it down. I look forward to working with the Trump administration and Governor Burgum to reverse this plan and instead invest in an all-of-the-above energy strategy. Doing so will help reduce America’s debt, lower energy prices for hardworking families, reduce global emissions, and bolster our national security.”  State lawmakers propose latest property tax relief plan for homeowners Hoeven also spoke out against the RMP, arguing that policies like this one prevent mineral holders from exercising their property rights. This is due to the split-estate ownership issue in North Dakota — federal minerals are often co-located with state or privately owned minerals under non-federal surface acreage. Hoeven has been pushing back on the RMP since BLM first issued the draft last year. The senator now plans to work with the new Congress and the incoming Trump administration to reverse the policy, which his press release called "harmful." “With less than a week to go in office, President Biden continues to rush his onslaught of burdensome regulations across the finish line,” Senator Hoeven said. “The BLM’s Resource Management Plan for North Dakota is a prime example of this administration’s efforts to undermine U.S.-produced energy, which is essential to our economic and national security. This policy will lock away vast amounts of energy resources in North Dakota, including minerals held by private individuals and the state. Instead, I will work with my colleagues in the Senate to get Doug Burgum into his role as Interior Secretary as soon as possible so we can start rolling back harmful policies like this and make our nation energy secure once again.” To learn more about the Resource Management Plan, go to the BLM website. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW