Dakota Beacon

Paul Sorum stirred up a hornet’s nest a couple of weeks ago when he called for a performance audit of the Gas and Oil Division.  Some were ready to dismiss this as “campaign talk” designed to create issues for the semi-incumbent and GOP endorsee, Wayne Stenehjem.  But it really goes way deeper than this.

Allegations have been made by third parties here that oil developers are damaging land and property in violation of state law and proper practices.  When they are called on it and “fined”, they appeal and are generally off the hook for the damages – neither paying any compensation, restoring land or paying the fines.  They get a wink from our chief law enforcement officer, the Attorney General.  If this is true we need to know all about it.  People are allegedly being hurt; land is allegedly being irreparably damaged. 

Allegations have also been made that government officials charged with oversight have been accepting contributions from these oil interests.  If true, this also needs to be investigated.  There is definitely the potential for a conflict of interest here.

Some critics of Mr. Sorum will be angry that he brings up these problems, that he is not in on the cover-up.  He might be labeled by some as “one of those environmentalists”.  But what Sorum is doing here is drawing attention to the plight of those who have suffered the ill effects – not of oil development per se – but of government’s failure to enforce laws and regulations that are there to protect everyone.

We, in North Dakota, have held that we do not need the EPA to come in here and regulate us to death – our watering holes, our ditches, our puddles.  We feel that we can maintain our own environment in North Dakota without intervention of the EPA and other federal agencies.  When they become involved there is great cost, great loss of freedom and property rights.  If North Dakota countenances any kind or degree of corruption at any level with regard to these matters, it is an open invitation to these federal agencies to step in.  If enough landowners feel they have no recourse within North Dakota for fair treatment, they are very likely to go to the federal government for redress themselves. 

The EPA would like nothing better than state government agencies to fail in protecting people and the environment.  They are accuser, judge, jury and executioner all in one.  Their tendency and policy is to attempt to shut down any enterprise that they think “pollutes”.  They are already trying to shut down our coal industry.  Do we really think it good state policy to allow corruption and neglect to bring them in to shut down oil production as well?  The implications of this would be horrific.

All of the people of North Dakota – indeed, all of the people of North America and even the free world have a lot at stake here.  It is terrible to think that a handful of small-time corrupt government officials in a backwater in North Dakota could cause a shutting down on a resource so vital to our economy and to our national security.  But there it is.  Paul Sorum sees this but some others in North Dakota do not.  This is what it means to have vision.  Someone with vision can see what great things could be but also can see what dangers lurk.  We can go about our business blissfully unconcerned about the implications of corruption, but it will destroy us from within with certainty.  The losers will be the people of North Dakota and the free world, the landowners and the oil industry itself. 

If we are wise we will heed the alert to this risk.  We will act immediately to halt the damage and make amends quickly.  We will let it be known that we will not tolerate this kind of offense. 

On the other hand, if an independent performance audit clears everyone, that would be great news indeed – for all of us.  Without such an investigation, however, the danger is real.  As long as there is doubt, we are at imminent risk of interference from the federal government. 

Paul Sorum has been right about this issue all along.  We need to look into it.  That is what he is calling for – an investigation, a search for the truth.  Why should any of us reject that?

And this is why we need a principled leader as Governor.  This is why I support Paul Sorum.

Sally Morris is a member of Americans for Constitutional Government.