Members of the North Dakota Public Service Commission say its efforts to make sure such things as scales and gasoline pumps are in compliance may go by the wayside – if the PSC budget passes as it stands right now.
The PSC is responsible for weights and measures. Right now, that division has four authorized staff. The way the Commission’s budget stands, that’s reduced to two.
"The reality is, if you just think of the miles, and over 2000 measuring devices around the state, clearly two people aren't going to go and test even half of those," said Commissioner Randy Christmann. "With two employees, I don't see how we could continue a testing program."
Christmann says it would likely become a quality assurance program, and the owners of the devices would have to have private firms do that testing.
The Commission did ask for three additional positions – a para-legal, one in pipeline safety and one in public utilities. Two of them -- but not the para-legal -- were included in the executive budget, and they made the first cut in the House.
"It's a modest increase," said Commissioner Julie Fedorchak. "The PSC is at the crossroads of industrial development. We need to do the job right, to have the staff available to make sure the companies are held accountable for the appropriate processes, and making sure things move quickly so the companies aren't being held up."
The Senate is now considering the PSC budget.
