January 4, 2019 - Let There Be Light
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The New Year arrived dark and cold in North Dakota's capital city, but with legislators moving in, the Capitol will be lit up with activity the next 80 days.
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Burgum: "Cusp of a New Era in North Dakota"
Governor Touts TR Library in State of State Message
Opening his third State of the State address, Gov. Doug Burgum shared a positive view of North Dakota’s position in the nation and the world. Dynamic economic growth and opportunity place us, he said, at “the cusp of a new era in North Dakota’s history.”
Leading the way is growth in the state’s energy industry where Burgum said oil and gas producers continue to shatter records.
Click
here to listen to Burgum’s vision of opportunities in the oil and gas sector.
The lignite industry, Burgum said, continues to innovate and invest while providing essential baseload electricity to the grid. It's happening “despite long-term economic and regulatory uncertainty created by over-reaching federal policy in the previous administration,” he said.
Click
here to listen to Burgum's comments about Project Tundra.
A persistent challenge for all North Dakota businesses and industries is a workforce shortage which the Governor said is limiting the state's economic growth. Burgum wants to dedicate $30 million in Legacy Fund earnings to establish more career academies around the state.
Click
here to listen to more of Burgum’s comments on workforce solutions.
In closing his 59-minute speech, Gov. Burgum renewed his pitch for $50 million for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum at the entrance to the national park near Medora. He proposed spending $50 million in Legacy Fund earnings to be matched 2-to-1 by private donations.
Click
here to listen to Burgum’s comments about the presidential library.
Click
here to see a video of Gov. Burgum’s address. Click
here for a transcript of his speech.
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Bill Aimed at Protecting Infrastructure
The ND Legislature will be asked to consider a bill that will increase penalties for environmental protesters and others who cause deliberate damage to pipelines and other critical infrastructure.
The legislation’s prime sponsor is Senator Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, who she was motivated to introduce the bill by an act of eco-terrorism in her district. Myrdal said the perpetrators were caught and prosecuted, but industry and law enforcement officials feel the criminal penalties are too weak.
Click
here to listen to Myrdal’s comments.
Myrdal said the bill (
SB 2044) would not only increase penalties for intentional damage to infrastructure, it would also impose penalties on organizations that support acts of eco-terrorism.
Click
here to listen to Myrdal’s comments.
Mrydal said she wants to protect the freedom of speech rights of environmental protesters, but acts of vandalism cannot be tolerated and should carry severe penalties.
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Wardner Optimistic about Prairie Dog Bill
First Hearing Will Occur the Week of January 14
As the 2019 legislative session gets underway, Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner said he’s optimistic about prospects for passage of “Operation Prairie Dog," which would revise the oil tax distribution formula for hub cities and others in western North Dakota, as well as create infrastructure “buckets” for non-oil regions.
Wardner, who developed the funding legislation in cooperation with other legislators over the interim, said there's support for the bill throughout the state. He said its chance of passage looks good.
Click
here to listen to Wardner’s comments.
The proposal has been introduced as
HB 1066. Its House sponsor is Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck. The bill will be heard by the House Finance and Taxation Committee the week of January 14, according to Committee Chairman Craig Headland, R-Montpelier.
Click
here to see Senator Wardner’s slide presentation about Operation Prairie Dog.
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Legislature to Consider Seat Belt Bill
North Dakota lawmakers will consider a bill this session that would make it a primary offense if the driver or occupants of a vehicle fail to use a seat belt.
Senator Curt Kreun, R-Grand Forks, is sponsoring legislation that would allow law enforcement to stop drivers if they are not wearing a seat belt. Currently the law only allows officers to issue a seat belt citation if the driver is first pulled over for another traffic offense. Kreun’s bill (
SB 2060) would also require backseat occupants to wear a seat belt. Current law applies only to front seat passengers.
Kreun said people will argue they should not be forced to wear a seat belt. But he says the costs of injury and death are not only borne by the family of the victim, many times they affect society as a whole.
Click
here to listen to Kreun’s comments.
Kreun thinks the state has gotten lax in stressing to young people the importance of wearing seat belts.
Click
here to listen to Kreun’s comments.
The legislation had its initial hearing this morning in the Senate Transportation Committee. No action was taken, and the hearing will continue next Thursday, January 10.
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New House Leader Offers His Perspective
The North Dakota Legislature’s new House Majority Leader is not one to be rushed into making a decision on policy issues.
Rep. Chet Pollert, R-Carrington, was elected leader by House Republicans at a GOP Caucus meeting in November, succeeding Rep. Al Carlson of Fargo who lost his bid for re-election. Pollert said as the leader of the Republican caucus, he wants to hear all sides of an issue before taking a position.
Click
here to listen to Pollert’s comments.
It should surprise no one that Pollert sees spending issues, particularly meeting the state’s infrastructure needs and dealing with the state’s workforce shortage, as the major issues this session.
Click
here to listen to Pollert’s comments.
Pollert was first elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives in 1998. He is owner/operator of a grain and feed business in his district.
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Watford City and Williston Vote Next Week
Bond measures to address overcrowding issues
In the next 10 years, enrollment in Williston School District #1 is projected to increase by 47.5 percent, adding another 2,400 students to already overcrowded facilities.
Williston voters go to the polls for a special election January 8 to decide whether to fund a $60 million bond issue to expand Williston High School, build two new elementary schools, and renovate other elementaries in the district. Voters will also decide if the school district can increase its building fund levy from 10 mills to 20 mills.
Click
here for more information about the Williston special election. Click
here to see the building plan.
Voters also head to the polls next Tuesday in Watford City where a similar overcrowding situation has been evolving. Val Kummer, co-chair of the “Vote Yes” Committee, said voters will decide the fate of an additional elementary school and future infrastructure needs.
“The lower primary grades are showing the largest volume of growth with kindergarten continuing to be the largest grade level in the school district,” Kummer said. With a bottom-heavy school district, she said the district needs a new elementary school to alleviate pressure being felt in the current elementary school. According to an
informational brochure distributed by the "Vote Yes" Committee, current enrollment in the district is 1,814. By 2025, they expect more than 3,000 students.
If the bond issue is unsuccessful, Kummer said it would be “devastating for the future of Watford City.” She said it would force the district to use portable classrooms, making the school environment less conducive for learning, harder to recruit teachers, and make pick-ups and drop-offs more chaotic.
“This is a vote for our kids and our future,” Kummer said. “This is an essential checkbox for families looking to make Watford City their home. Good school? Check!”
A second question on the ballot would give the school district discretion to increase the mill levy to fund future facility needs, which the district has no immediate plans to do.
Click
here to see an FAQ about the Watford City project. Click
here for more financial details.
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Meridian Energy Engages Morgan Stanley
In a strong signal of forward progress on the Davis Refinery Project in Belfield, Meridian Energy announced today the company has engaged Morgan Stanley to act as joint lead financial advisory, arranger and structuring agent for the major financings necessary for the next steps in development.
Under this arrangement, Morgan Stanley will assist Meridian in originating and structuring equity and debt financings to complete the design, construction and startup of the Davis Refinery project.
In a news release on the announcement, the company announced it has raised a significant portion of the Davis project financing to this point and will continue to do so as Meridian performs additional engineering, procurement and civil construction activities in preparation for the completion of full project financing later in 2019.
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ND Chamber: Calling All Entrepreneurs!
CEO Roundtable Focus on Implementing Ideas
Steffes Corporation in Dickinson will be the site for the next Greater North Dakota Chamber CEO Roundtable. Mark your calendars for Wed., Jan. 16, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Entrepreneurship will be the focus of the event. Speakers include Matt Dunlevy, president and CEO of SkySkopes, a leading unmanned aircraft systems flight operations company based in Grand Forks.
Paul Steffes, CEO and chief innovation advisor for Steffes, will be joined by Todd Mayer, chief products officer at Steffes. Two educators who specialize in entrepreneurship, Aaron Cummings and Jason File, will round out the day.
Click
here for the full roundtable agenda and event registration.
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Quick Connect
- District 2 legislators discuss priorities for the 2019 session -- Tioga Tribune
- Bekkedahl: Operation Prairie Dog to provide funding for Williston -- KUMV-TV
- Public Meeting Jan. 7 to discuss I-94 improvements in Dickinson -- ND DOT
- Legislature approaches session with caution after budget cuts -- Fargo Forum
- ND legislative session begins with intrigue as Bastiat Caucus asks for dues -- SayAnything Blog
- Questions over Lake Sakakawea mineral ownership return to 2019 session -- Bismarck Tribune
- Williston December numbers show healthcare jobs pushing past energy jobs -- KFYR-TV
- Tioga economic developer Dennis Lindahl defends efforts to promote city -- Tioga Tribune
- Divide Country ag parcels see biggest tax bumps following valuation increase -- Crosby Journal
- Crime stats show decrease for third consecutive year in Divide County -- Crosby Journal
- Robert Roed sworn in as Ward Country sheriff replacing Bob Barnard -- Minot Daily News
- Gerald Illerbrun passes: Williston loses a long-time oilfield champion -- Williston Herald
- OPEC-led cuts should re-balance oil market in Q1: UAE energy minister -- S&P Global Platts
- U.S. is the champion of energy realism, recognizes value of fossil fuels -- Real Clear Energy
- Couple stranded in Bowman thankful for "North Dakota nice" experience -- Bismarck Tribune
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Factoid of the Week -- 80 Days!
The ND Constitution limits legislative sessions to 80 days. The 2019 calendar shows the magic 80th day to be Tuesday, April 30. This is the 66th legislative session. The first session consisted of a Council with nine members and a House of Representatives with 13 members. The 1st Territorial Legislative Assembly convened in Yankton, Dakota Territory, on Monday, March 17, 1862.
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January 6
Williston
January 10
Transportation Day at the Capitol
Bismarck
January 17
Dickinson
January 18
Bismarck
January 22
Lignite Energy Council legislative reception
Ramkota - Bismarck
January 22
Bismarck
January 28
Capitol
January 29-31
Grand Forks
February 9
Williston
February 25-26
Dickinson
July 16-17
Bismarck
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Oil prices and rig count
January 4, 2019
WTI Crude: $47.96
Brent Crude: $57.34
Natural Gas: $3.04
North Dakota Active Rigs: 63 (dn 3)
1/4
/2018
-- 54 rigs
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Geoff Simon
Editor/Executive Director
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