The North Dakota House has overwhelmingly passed a bill designed to give a tax incentive for any company that builds a pipeline to bring natural gas from the Bakken to parts of central and eastern North Dakota that don’t have gas service.
The bill would give the pipeline company a 15 year property tax break.
The Legislature has already set-aside $150 million in seed money for that pipeline.
"Grand Forks needs gas," said Rep. Eric Murphy (R-Grand Forks). "Passing this bill gives the opportunity, and sweetens the pot for a pipeline company to move forward."
Murphy said there is too much gas in the Bakken, while other parts of the state need it.
"We have to figure out how to get it there," Murphy said. "If this is a piece of the puzzle that helps move this pipeline forward, by golly, I urge you to vote for this."
Representative Alisa Mitskog (D-Wahpeton) said more than 300 communities in North Dakota do not have access to natural gas.
"The lack of gas in the central part of the state and the eastern part of the state is stifling development, preventing communities from growing," Mitskog said. "Then we have the quandary of the excess gas in the Bakken."
Mitskog said the Bakken will run out of gas take away capacity by 2026.
"And that means pol production will decline," Mitskog said. "This bill is one piece to help solve this issue."
The measure passed 92 to 2. It will now be considered by the state Senate.