Updates
Later, 11:30 p.m.: (numbers rounded) the state has awarded nearly $17 million in impact money to three cities: Williston ($10 million); Dickinson ($6 million); Minot ($1.5 million). These cities previously awarded $21 million in Energy Impact Grants. The link takes you to the Bismarck Tribune.
Original Post
Wishful thinking.The state should invest up to $5 billion in northwest North Dakota communities with the most oil activity, the president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council said Wednesday.
Ron Ness, while testifying to a group of legislators meeting in Williston, said communities need significant resources to do long-range planning, but the state’s grant program for those areas is only helping them react.
Ness called for a five-year plan with $800 million to $1 billion per year invested in schools, roads and infrastructure for communities in the core areas of the Bakken.This has been said by numerous folks over the past couple of years. Won't happen. Funding may come in spurts, but not as part of any coordinated planning effort. Speaking of planning, I wonder whatever came of the story in which Minot denied BHI's request for starting some operations at BHI's new complex.
