DRC calls on RUS and Basin Electric to Postpone Public Meeting

DAKOTA RESOURCE COUNCIL

 1200 Missouri Ave, Suite 102, 

Bismarck ND 58501 

don@drcinfo.com 

www.drcinfo.com 

STATEMENT 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 15, 2014 

DRC calls on RUS and Basin Electric to Postpone Public Meeting 

Bismarck, ND---Dakota Resource Council members were disappointed to find out yesterday that the public meeting on a high voltage power through the Killdeer Mountains would be this week - Thursday, January 16 in Watford City, ND. Because of the apparent short notice for the meeting, DRC is asking Basin Electric and the USDA Rural Utility Services to reschedule the meeting so North Dakotans can have time to participate. 

Basin Electric posted the notice on its website on January 9, notified the media on January 10. If there was earlier notice to the public, it was not very noticeable.

 Usually, with a project of this magnitude, the public would be given 15 days notice through e-mails, statewide media and press releases. As it is, the public found out in the media three or four days before the meeting. DRC believes that North Dakotans should have ample time to plan and attend such an important meeting. The Killdeer Mountains have been a hot topic in the past year with not only utility proposals, but proposals from the oil and gas industry. 

The Dakota Resource Council has sent a request to the USDA Rural Utility Service asking them to postpone the meeting on Jan 16th to a later date, in order to make sure there is at least 15 days for the public to present prepared testimony at the hearing on such an important issue. If Basin Electric has ample time to give their side, the people should also have time to respond with proper testimony. 

To voice concern about the lack of notice by both the RUS and Basin Electric, please e-mail Dennis Rankin, Environmental Protection Specialist of the USDA, Rural Utilities Service at dennis.rankin@wdc.usda.gov or by calling his office at (202) 720-1953. 

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Founded in 1978, Dakota Resource Council is a statewide organization bringing together farmers, ranchers, small business owners, workers and other North Dakotans to address issues that affect their lives and livelihoods.

http://drcinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/DRC-Press-Release-on-Public-Meeting-Website.pdf

RUS public hearing to be held on Basin Electric transmission project plans

The Jan. 16 hearing will provide opportunity for comments regarding a proposed Basin Electric transmission project in the Williston Basin.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative - January 9, 2014

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) will hold a public hearing on the expansion of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for a proposed Basin Electric transmission line project from 5-8 p.m. CST Jan. 16 at the Watford City Civic Center in Watford City, ND.

Basin Electric plans to build, operate and maintain an approximately 278-mile 345-kilovolt transmission project from Antelope Valley Station (AVS) to Neset in western North Dakota. The RUS, an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is preparing an EIS for the project.

The Jan. 16 hearing will provide an opportunity for federal, state and local agencies, tribal entities, and members of the public to present comments on the supplemental draft EIS. The supplemental draft EIS evaluates an additional transmission line segment that interconnects with the previously proposed AVS to Neset project at a proposed substation north of Killdeer, ND, and run to a proposed substation north and west of Watford City.

The public comment period ends Feb. 3. Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent todennis.rankin@wdc.usda.gov or:
Mr. Dennis Rankin, Environmental Protection Specialist
USDA, Rural Utilities Service
1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Stop 1571
Washington, DC 20250-1571

The supplemental draft EIS is available at www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-AVS-Neset.html.

http://www.basinelectric.com/News_Center/Publications/News_Briefs/rus-public-hearing-to-be-held-on-basin-electric-transmission-project-plans.html

"Civil War 150" at DSU ~ Outgoing Tax Commissioner Cory Fong

By SKIP WOOD

Main Street for January 3

8:55

53:00

A national exhibit on the Civil War is now showing at Dickinson State. “Civil War 150” features letters, personal accounts and images from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, tracing the major events of the war through the eyes of those who experienced it. Joining us are Rita Ennen, director of the Stoxen Library; and Jim McWilliams, DSU professor of English. ~~~ A New Year’s essay from Beth Diane Bradley. ~~~ In lieu of his usual discussion of recent headlines, news director Dave Thompson visits with outgoing tax commissioner Cory Fong, who reflects on the changes he’s seen during his time in office. ~~~ Matt Olien reviews “Wolf of Wall Street” and “Anchorman 2.”

http://news.prairiepublic.org/post/civil-war-150-dsu-outgoing-tax-commissioner-cory-fong

DSU’s Stoxen Library to host “Civil War 150 Traveling Exhibition” Dec. 30-Jan. 27

Shanna Shervheim, interim associate director of communications, 701-483-2595

The American Civil War was the bloodiest in U.S. history, taking the lives of 1.5 million people and tearing the country in two. Experience the conflict through the eyes of major political figures, soldiers, families and freedmen at the “Civil War 150 Traveling Exhibition” at Dickinson State University’s Stoxen Library Dec. 30-Jan. 27.

A grand opening reception for this nationally acclaimed exhibition will be held at the library on Monday, Jan. 6 from 3-7 p.m. During the reception, Civil War era refreshments will be served including standard military fare hard tack. The public is invited to view the exhibition at any time during its month-long residency: weekdays from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Stoxen Library is closed New Year’s Day.)

The Civil War was one of the most transformative periods in U.S. history. After long-simmering sectional tensions led to seven slaveholding states seceding, the ensuing political strife gave way to war in April 1861. Through letters, personal accounts, and images, the exhibition portrays how people grappled with the end of slavery, the nature of democracy and citizenship, the human toll of war, and the role of a president during wartime.

“This wonderful exhibition has material that will appeal to both long-time Civil War buffs and to people just now learning about the war,” said Dr. Jim McWilliams, professor of English and co-coordinator of the exhibition. “I especially hope that teachers will schedule field trips with their students to tour the exhibition.

“Civil War 150” is a traveling panel exhibition that was developed by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in partnership with The Library of America and made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Stoxen Library, a winner of this competitive, prestigious grant, is one of only 50 sites nationwide and the only site in North Dakota selected to host the exhibition.

“We are very excited to have been chosen as the North Dakota site to host this exhibition,” said Rita Ennen, director of the Stoxen Library and co-coordinator of the exhibition. “The use of primary source documents, such as letters and photographs, conveys an intimate feeling as we experience the war through the eyes and ears of those who lived it.”

In addition to the “Civil War 150” exhibition, library guests also can peruse displays of items from Stoxen’s collection of Civil War materials, which includes an impressive collection donated by the estate of historian James D. MacNair, as well as the Civil War era Army artifacts in the Aleck Dvirnak collection.

To further explore the Civil War era, a series of events will be held at DSU during the month of January. All events are free and open to the public.

• Jan. 6, 3-7 p.m., Stoxen Library, exhibition grand opening hosted by Stoxen Library Director Rita Ennen. Refreshments will be served.
• Jan. 15. 7 p.m., Beck Auditorium, Klinefelter Hall. Professor of English Dr. Jim McWilliams will give a presentation about the roles two famous writers played in the Civil War entitled “Mark Twain & Ambrose Bierce in the Civil War.”
• Jan. 22, 12 noon, Stoxen Library. The DSU History Society members will give a presentation about their trip to Gettysburg.
• Jan. 22, 7 p.m., Beck Auditorium, Klinefelter Hall. Assistant Professor of History Dr. Frank Varney will give a lecture about the impact of the war on American society entitled “The American Civil War: Defining a Nation.”
• Jan. 28, 7 p.m., Beck Auditorium. Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Jimmy Leach will lead the DSU music faculty in a recital entitled “Spirituals, Ballads, and Patriotic Music from the Civil War.”
• Jan. 29, Beck Auditorium, Klinefelter Hall. Dr. Varney will host a screening of the documentary “Love and Valor: One Couple’s Intimate War Letters.”

“We hope that through the exhibition and related programming, visitors will explore the meaning of the Civil War in new and more personal ways,” Ennen said.

For more information about the exhibit or its associated programming, contact Rita Ennen at (701) 483-2883 or Jim McWilliams at (701) 483-2145.

Industrial Commission considers new rules to protect areas of "extraordinary significance"

By DAVE THOMPSON

The state Industrial Commission is looking at proposed new rules dealing with oil activity in certain areas of North Dakota.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has proposed the rules – to cover drilling in what he called places of extraordinary significance – such as the Killdeer Mountain Battlefield, the Little Missouri Grasslands and the Elkhorn Ranch. Stenehjem told his Industrial Commission colleagues – this will NOT prohibit oil exploration in those areas – but it asks the companies to have a “mitigation plan.”

The state Industrial Commission is looking at proposed new rules dealing with oil activity in certain areas of North Dakota.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has proposed the rules – to cover drilling in what he called places of extraordinary significance – such as the Killdeer Mountain Battlefield, the Little Missouri Grasslands and the Elkhorn Ranch. Stenehjem told his Industrial Commission colleagues – this will not prohibit oil exploration in those areas – but it asks the companies to have a “mitigation plan.”

"What are they going to do in those areas to provide for a reduction -- as much as possible -- of any impact?" Stenehjem told his colleagues.

The proposed rules also allows for more public comment before wells are drilled in those sensitive areas.

"This process gives everybody a right to a say, but it doesn't give everybody a right to their way," said Stenehjem.

Gov. Jack Dalrymple chairs the Industrial Commission. He says to this point, he thinks the Commission has done a good job of being sensitive to those areas.

"I think you do point out a flaw in the process," Dalrymple told Stenehjem. "The lack of a formalized way to gather public input is probably correct.

"It's a good start," said Jim Fuglie. The fomer state Democratic NPL party chairman has been critical of plans to drill near the Killdeer Mountains and near Bullion Butte in Billings County. Fuglie says it appears the Industrial Commission will be more attuned to concerns raised by residents in those impacted areas.

"If someone looked at every one of the 3000 drilling permits issued in 2013, to see if there's one in some wildlife habitat, where the wellsite could be moved a half mile to allow mule deer a place to make love and create more mule deer," said Fuglie. "That's the kind of scrutiny that has not happened."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the oil industry says while the industry agrees with many of the new rules, it has concerns about balancing public input with rights of private landowners and mineral rights holders.

"I happen to live in Bismarck, and my back yard is close to a theatre and a little park," said North Dakota Petroleum Council President Ron Ness. "I put a chain link fence up there. Should someone have been able to tell me the chain link fence really doesn't fit?"

The Commission will be holding another meeting to see if it wants to adopt Stenehjem’s proposal. If it does – it would also have to go through the Legislature’s Administrative Rules committee before final adoption.

Enlarge image

Credit Dave Thompson / Prairie Public

Members of the North Dakota Industrial Commission briefed on proposed new rules for oil drilling in areas of "extraordinary significance."

Industrial Commission of ND Meeting on Places of Extraordinary Signficance

AGENDA

Industrial Commission of North Dakota

 including a Joint Meeting with the 

Housing Finance Agency Advisory Board 

Thursday, December 19, 2013

9:00 a.m. – Harvest Room & Governor's Conference Room

I.   North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources Business – Lynn Helms
A.  Consideration of Order 23935  issued in Case 15773 in response to a petition for 
reconsideration of Order 18028  (Attachment 1)
B.  Consideration of orders for the following cases which were heard on October 24 and
November 20, 2013 : (Attachment 1a)
Case 20800, Order 23106 – request for two 1440 acre spacing units
Case 21158, Order 23462 - request for use of double wall open tank receptacles for storage of
produced water – exception to NDAC §43-02-03-19.3
Case 21219, Order 23523 – creation of two 1280 acre spacing units
C.  Consideration of Case 20853, Order 23159 heard on October 1, 2013 - Amendments to
Administrative Rules (Attachment 2)
D.  Consideration of proposed rules relating to general drilling permit consideration; designation 
of places of extraordinary significance; and additional requirements for permitting in places of 
extraordinary significance.  – Attorney General Stenehjem (Attachment 3)
E.  Other North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources business

(approximately 10:05 a.m.)
II.  North Dakota Pipeline Authority Business – Justin Kringstad
A.   Presentation of 2013 Annual Report and Financial Report (Attachments 4 & 5) B.   Other North
Dakota Pipeline Authority business

*******Meeting will break to relocate to the Governor’s Conference Room*******

(approximately 10:10 a.m.)
III.  Lignite Research, Development & Marketing Program Business – Jason Bohrer, Mike Jones
(by phone)
A.  Presentation of comments being presented on December 19, 2013 to the Minnesota Public Utilities
Commission in the Matter of the Investigation into Environmental and Socioeconomic Costs Under
Minn. Stat. §216B.2422, subd.3.– Attorney General Stenehjem (Attachment 6)
B.  Presentation of Lignite Research Fund Financial Report– Karlene Fine (Attachment 7)

Industrial Commission Meeting
Page 2
December 19, 2013

C.  Consideration of the Lignite Research Council’s recommendations regarding the following Grant
Round 76 applications:
1.   “Investigating the Use of Fly Ash and Nanomaterials for Sustainable Concrete Infrastructure”;
Submitted by University of North Dakota Department of Civil Engineering; Request for $14,559 (Small
Research); Total Project Costs $60,642; Project Duration 14 months (Attachment 8)
2.   “Continuation of Underground Coal Gasification Study in Western North Dakota”; Submitted by
University of North Dakota Institute for Energy Studies; Request for $299,958 (Demonstration);
Total Project Costs $719,958; Project Duration 18 months (Attachment 9)
3.   “Alstom’s Chemical Looping Combustion Technology with CO2 Capture for
North Dakota Lignite Utilization”; Submitted by Alstom Power Inc.; Request for
$500,000 (Demonstration); Total Project Costs $10,489,821; Project Duration 36 months (Attachment
10)

*****Consideration of a motion to close the Industrial Commission meeting pursuant to North Dakota
Century Code 54-17.5-06 to consider the following agenda item regarding a project that has
previously been determined to be confidential******

D.  Update by American Lignite Energy, LLC regarding their project “Lignite Vision 21
Project Coal-to-Liquids Plant McLean County, North Dakota” – Carroll Dewing, David
Straley


**********Meeting returns to open session*******

E.  Consideration of a request from American Lignite Energy, LLC for an amendment to Contract
FY06-LVII-148 amending the “Decision Date” from December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2014 (Attachment
11)
F.  Other Lignite Research, Development & Marketing Program business

IV.  North Dakota Transmission Authority – Mike Jones
A. Presentation of 2013 Transmission Authority Annual Report and Financial Report
(Attachments 15 & 16)
B. Other Transmission Authority business

(approximately 10:45 a.m.)
V.  North Dakota State Mill Business – Vance Taylor (by phone)
A.  Consideration of request to increase FY 2014 Capital Project – K-Mill Capacity Increase – Phase
3 by $800,000 bringing total project costs to $3,900,000. (Attachment 17)
B.  Other North Dakota State Mill business

(approximately 10:55 a.m.)
VI. Bank of North Dakota Business – Eric Hardmeyer
A.   Presentation of the following audits – Eide Bailly

Industrial Commission Meeting
Page 3
December 19, 2013

1.   PACE Audit – June 30, 2013 (Attachment 18)
2.   Ag PACE Audit – June 30, 2013 (Attachment 19)
3.   Rebuilders Loan Program Audit – June 30, 2013 (Attachment 20)
B.  Consideration of amendments to School Eligibility for DEAL Loan Policy
(Attachment 21)
C.  Consideration of amendments to Funds Management Policy (Attachment 22)
D.  Presentation of nonconfidential Bank of North Dakota Advisory Board October 17, 2013 meeting
minutes (Attachment 23)
E.  Other Bank of North Dakota business

******Meeting closed pursuant to N.D.C.C. 6-09-35 to discuss items listed below on the agenda under
Bank of North Dakota Confidential Business********

VII.  Bank of North Dakota Confidential Business – Eric Hardmeyer
A.  Consideration of Bank of North Dakota loan application (Attachment 24) B.  Problem Loan Update
C.  Presentation of confidential Bank of North Dakota Advisory Board October 17, 2013 meeting
minutes (Attachment 25)
D.  Other Bank of North Dakota confidential (as defined under N.D.C.C. 6-09-35) business

***************Meeting returns to open session******************

(approximately 11:40 a.m.)
VIII. Western Area Water Supply Authority business – Jaret Wirtz (by phone) & Karlene Fine A.
Presentation of Western Area Water Supply Authority monthly report (Attachment 26) B.  Other WAWSA
business

(approximately 11:50 a.m.)
IX.   Joint meeting with the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency Advisory Board on North
Dakota Housing Finance Agency Business – Jolene Kline
A.  Presentation of the Housing Finance Agency Advisory Board Vice-Chairman’s Annual
Report – Ron Jordan (Attachment 27)
B.  Presentation of the Housing Finance Agency’s Fiscal Year 2013 Audit – Brady Martz
(Attachment 28 )
C.  Presentation of the Housing Incentive Fund Fiscal Year 2013 Audit – Brady Martz
(Attachment 29)
D.  Consideration of the Housing Finance Agency Advisory Board’s recommendation for the Agency to
enter into a contract with Fannie Mae to offer the HFA Preferred Risk Sharing Program (Attachment
30)
E.  Consideration of the Housing Finance Agency Advisory Board’s recommendation to rescind the
Reserve Funds Order Policy (Attachment 31)
F.  Consideration of the Housing Finance Agency Advisory Board’s recommendation to approve the
Agency’s SWAP Management and Executive Policy (Attachment 32)
Industrial Commission Meeting
Page 4
December 19, 2013
G.  Consideration of the Home Mortgage Finance Program 2014 General Authorization
Resolution (Attachment 33)
H.  Consideration of the North Dakota Industrial Commission’s Executive Director recommendation
regarding the appointment of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency Executive Director (Attachment
34)
I.   Other North Dakota Housing Finance Agency business

(approximately 12:20 p.m.)
X.  North Dakota Outdoor Heritage Fund business – Karlene Fine
A.  Update on Outdoor Heritage Fund Grant Round applications. (Attachment 35) B.  Other Outdoor
Heritage Fund business

(approximately 12:25 p.m.)
XI. Administrative Business – Karlene Fine
A.  Consideration of transfers from Industrial Commission agencies/programs for the
2013-2015 biennium for the Administrative Office operations (Attachment 36)
B.  Other Industrial Commission Administrative business

XII. Other Industrial Commission Business/Adjournment

Bold items require Industrial Commission action
Any person who requires an auxiliary aid or service must contact or notify the Industrial
Commission
Office at 328-3722 at least three (3) working days prior to the scheduled meeting.

http://www.nd.gov/ndic/ic-press/magenda.pdf

Battle Lines vs. Power Lines: Part 3

Battle Lines vs. Power Lines: Part 3

Posted: Nov 14, 2013 6:40 PM CSTUpdated: Nov 14, 2013 9:08 PM CST

KMOT.COM - Minot, ND - News, Weather, Sports

It was here on the Killdeer Battlefield that a U.S. military force commanded by General Alfred Sully attacked several groups of the Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota Sioux nations. And it is also the site Professor Tom Isern has chosen for a historical study.

"Killdeer Mountain was chosen because it is the climactic engagement of the Dakota War. I commonly refer to it as the Gettysburg of the plains. Not because of the numbers involved but because of the fate of the sovereign nations are in the battles in this fall day in 1864," says Isern.

Isern says that the growth in North Dakota prompted the study.

"With the rapid pace of development in Western North Dakota there's a sense that we should get a handle on what went down on this battlefield. It's money to figure out what happened where."

The study will be conducted in two parts, starting with looking at historical documents.

"Mostly it's a historical study with historical documents that go all the way back to commanders reports and enlisted men's diaries. And at some point we will ask permission to go on the ground as much as we can and look around. And try and figure out what people would have done in this place given what we know from the documents," says Isern. 

Isern says he thinks that Basin Electric and the historical study can co-exist, but it could mean moving the transmission line. 

"I don't question the need for energy infrastructure in Western North Dakota. The route now specified runs right across the most historic site in all of North America. And that might be a matter of debate I believe it is. But I'm not sure it needs to go exactly in that place."




http://www.kmot.com/story/23974882/battle-lines-vs-power-lines-part-3