Dakota Beacon

THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE was ordered shut down by a federal judge in Washington D.C. until an Environmental Impact Statement is completed.  Judge James Boasberg acknowledged that his order "will cause significant disruption to DAPL, the North Dakota oil industry, and potentially other states.”  The pipeline carries about 40% of the state’s daily oil production.  Energy Transfer Partners, the pipeline operator, said “it is confident the pipeline will remain on-line throughout the legal proceedings to come.”

CRISIS MODE  The ND Industrial Commission met Tuesday to consider its options if the DAPL shutdown occurs.  ND’s congressional delegation denounced the court decision.  The state Attorney General geared up to help Energy Transfer with its appeal of the D.C. court decision.  Gov. Burgum said that “it’s imperative” the state “not just casually, but accurately and in the most fulfilling way possible describe for the courts this devastating economic impact.”  

A NOTABLE EXCEPTION  It was difficult to find anyone among ND opinion leaders who was not horrified by the court decision.  One notable exception — Forum columnist Mike McFeely wrote, “It was a major victory for North Dakota's Standing Rock Sioux tribe, opponents of the pipeline because they say it endangers their drinking water supply in the Missouri River.”  McFeely continued with a brief that would appeal to the Standing Rock Sioux and environmentalists who oppose the pipeline.

ALMOST NO ONE HELD BACK  Nearly 20,000 ND organizations collected $1.7 billion in federal loans under the Payroll Protection Program (PPP).  These are largely forgivable loans.  ND’s extraordinary participation in the PPP program led the country, when the number of eligible workers is considered.  This is attributable to “savvy operating” by the Bank of North Dakota which gave early help to the state’s small banks.  Everyone was at the trough: churches, foundations and casinos were among those side-by-side with private business.  Nearly 300 organizations received loans over $1 million, 14 were in the $5-10 million range.

NEW BISMARCK BYLINE  The Forum News Service hired Adam Willis to staff what they call their “newly humming Bismarck bureau.”  FNS has a similar position in Pierre, SD.  The Bismarck bureau receives funding from Report for America described as “a national program aimed at filling the gaps in local news.”  Willis will emphasize ND economy and politics, and says he will be alert to the “dark corners of business and government.”  Willis co-authored the above article about the PPP.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS  In March and April, ND bought more liquor per capita than any other state maintaining its lead position in “the beer belly of America.”  DUI arrests dropped like a rock, as liquor consumption shifted from bars and restaurants.  Overall, total alcohol sales in the state fell during the pandemic, although liquor stores had a windfall.

WIND POWER in ND has grown steadily until it now represents 27% of the power generated in the state.  If all that power were consumed in ND, it would represent over 50% of electrical supply.  Wind farms are important to ND counties which received $12 million in related property taxes in 2019.  Likewise, the wind farms are a stabilizing factor for farming paying $22 million in annual land lease payments.

A DUBIOUS SYSTEM  ND is the only state without voter registration.  The June election was held entirely by mail due to the pandemic and applications for voting by mail were based on driver’s license information.  Applications were sent to 600,000 people (the state’s population is only 760,000), 90,000 were returned as undeliverable and 150,000 requests were returned.  Critics say the applications went to vacationing Canadians, foreign farm workers, dead people and former residents.  A voter registration system is expected to be considered by the 2021 Legislature.

$2.75 BILLION seems like a lot of money for a system that will operate, on average, once every 20 years.  We are speaking of the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion — a 30-mile channel that will reduce Red River flows through F-M during extreme floods.  The diversion still faces lawsuits and its design is not complete, yet work is underway on significant portions.  An inlet is being built at a cost of $46 million and ground work has started on a $59 million control structure.

THE THREE AFFILIATED TRIBES at Ft. Berthold have 1,700 members living in the Bismarck-Mandan area.  More are moving there for health needs.  They will be served by the TAT’s new $7 million Sage Coulee health center in Bismarck.  Sage Coulee will not be delivering medical services, rather it will act as a facilitator for TAT members, arranging appointments and sometimes accompanying members on those visits.  The administrator for Sage Coulee said tribal elders sometimes experience “stage fright” at doctor appointments.

NOT SO FAST  A headline in the Jamestown Sun read “Lower rate of coronavirus reported in Stutsman County.”  The Sun said the Stutsman rate was lower than the state, meaning “the virus is less prevalent in this area compared to the state as a whole or nation.”  Technically correct, but the state’s rate is so distorted by the large number of cases in Cass County, if you remove Cass from the state rate, the rate for the remainder of the state is lower than Stutsman.  Contrary to the Sun headline, most ND counties have lower infection rates than Stutsman.  

BISMARCK While Cass County (Fargo) has by far the largest number of cumulative cases, Burleigh County (Bismarck) has become the new hotspot, often exceeding Cass in daily new cases.  On Thursday, the state had 99 new cases -- 23 in Burleigh, 29 in Cass.

MONTANA was the regional model for controlling coronavirus cases through May and mid-June.  Daily new cases were single digits and often zero, and then something changed.  Daily new cases in early July sprang into the 40’s and on July 7 exploded to 80.  Most new cases were in Billings where 43 of 55 residents at the Canyon Creek Memory tested positive plus 15 staff members.  On Thursday new cases rose to 96, roughly half in Billings.