Buchmann and Brandt Statement on Establishment of North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality Public Comments

Dem-NPL candidates for the Public Service Commission call for increased transparency and balanced oversight of environmental health

(BISMARCK, ND) — Today, North Dakota Democratic-NPL candidates for Public Service Commission Casey Buchmann and Jean Brandt attended a public comment meeting on the administrative rules relating to the establishment of the Department of Environmental Quality and released the following statements:

“North Dakotans deserve an open and transparent agency to monitor our state’s natural resources and how they impact the environment we share,” said Casey Buchmann, candidate for Public Service Commissioner. “My campaign is about accountability. We need voices on Public Service Commission that will challenge powerful interests to ensure the best outcomes for our citizens. The Department of Environmental Quality must be set up in a way that puts the public interest first.”

“My attendance at the public comment meeting was to voice my concerns and expectations of the newly formed North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and the protections it will provide our citizens,” said Jean Brandt, candidate for Public Service Commissioner. “I urged the panel to make certain the Department of Environmental Quality is not only transparent but brings voices to the table that truly represent the public interest today and for years to come.”