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HOEVEN: EPA NOT PLANNING A MORATORIUM ON FRACKING IN ND
Agency Clarifies Plans Regarding Fracking Guidelines
Senator John Hoeven today said the Environmental Protection Agency has clarified that it is not planning a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in North Dakota. The agency will, however, provide guidelines that state regulators can use to draft rules governing the use of diesel fuel in fracking under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
In a conference call arranged by Senator Hoeven, EPA officials Cynthia Dougherty, Director of the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, and Ann Codrington, Director of the Drinking Water Protection Division, said the agency will provide a process for the state of North Dakota to provide input on the diesel fracking guidelines before they're finalized. The state will continue as the primary regulator, they said. Hoeven stressed the need to make the rules realistic and workable, and to ensure that there is a process for their implementation so there is no gap in the state's ability to oversee hydraulic fracturing.
Dougherty said the agency is working on a definition of diesel, which she said can have a broad range of meanings. Hoeven said the definition needs to be realistic, considering diesel is a product of petroleum, which is being recovered. Diesel is currently used in very small quantities in some fracking solutions. Companies can either substitute diesel with another suitable fluid or seek a permit from the state to use it. The agency will issue the diesel guidelines in draft form after the first of the year, and provide an opportunity for input during a public review process.
"At a time when western North Dakota needs to attract private-sector investments in everything from housing to grocery stores to hotels and restaurants, the EPA must provide the kind of certainty investors need to make decisions," Hoeven said.
Hoeven arranged today's call to address concerns from residents and the industry that the agency was planning a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing.
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Safety concerns in ND oil country
Many North Dakotans seem to think that the pros outweigh the cons with North Dakota`s oil boom. But there is a dark side, and some oilfield workers are quietly concerned about safety in the oil patch.
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Challenge continue state's oil roads
The press of traffic in the Williston, Watford City and New Town areas demands continued improvements in roads and highways. U.S. Highway 85 north of Belfield runs bumper to bumper. State Highway 22, just reopened after a summer of repair, carries a heavy load.
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North Dakota surpasses oil production record
North Dakota oil drillers have outdone last year's record crude production and are nearing a milestone of a half-million barrels of oil a day, according to an Associated Press analysis confirmed by state and industry officials.
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Residents dish on Dickinson; Housing costs, expanding city boundaries areas of concern
Housing costs and expanding city boundaries were among concerns brought up at a public input meeting Thursday evening at the Badlands Activity Center. City officials have been working with engineering, surveying and planning firm Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson on "Dickinson 2035: Roadmap to the Future, a Comprehensive and Transportation Plan" for about two months. A visioning workshop and meeting regarding the plan allowed residents to voice concerns and ideas about Dickinson's future. "What about the people who are moving out of the city into the rural for quality of places for them to live," said Stark County Sheriff Clarence Tuhy. "They moved out there for a purpose and now they're drug back into the city." Louise Zeller, who lives northwest of Dickinson, agreed residents like her are losing their rural setting. "You've lost that gift because you don't have a choice," Zeller said. "That is the reality." Brett Gurholt of KL&J said a new comprehensive plan could bring some relief. "The city is going to grow toward you," Scott Pickett of KL&J said. "But with good planning, we'll at least make sure that the least objectionable use would be located next to your property." Zeller added existing zoning doesn't address all concerns northwest of Dickinson. "They're looking at a truck bypass that they're looking at putting right through what's already been zoned residential," Zeller said. "They're not complementing each other on that plan." Craig Kappel of Dickinson wants city officials to find a way to bring down housing costs. "We know of people who are paying over half their salary on housing," Kappel said. "That's really not acceptable." He said housing should match wages and landlords should be limited in what they can charge tenants. "It's been made to appear thatwe don't have to address that," Kappel said. John Howe of KL&J said some of Kappel's concerns would need to be addressed by the state Legislature. Setting regulations for developers could bring more affordable housing to the city, by requiring low-cost housing to be incorporated in projects, Howe said. Other suggestions residents gave at the meeting included increasing law enforcement, building a police station on the west side of the city and making new plans mesh well with existing ones. Another public meeting regarding the plan is scheduled for 5 p.m. Jan. 19 at the BAC.
Source: The Dickinson Press |
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State oil outlook
$40 million dollars a day in oil is being pumped out of the ground in North Dakota.
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Some companies disclose fracking chemical recipes
The curtain is finally being opened on what's injected into the ground when oil companies fracture treat wells in the Bakken and associated formations. |
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Dickinson sees crime increase
The City of Dickinson has been called a safe place to live and raise a family but with a number of new people moving into town chasing the oil boom, some feel they`re losing their security bubble. Police have had a busy year. The number of service calls they received are up, and so are many of the crime categories. But it may not be as dire as it sounds.
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