General News

The Public Service Commission will be hearing from owners and operators of wind turbines as to how new lighting systems are – or aren’t working.

The turbine towers used to come with blinking red lights, that stayed on all day and night. But some people who live around those wind farms complained – and the Legislature passed a bill requiring the operators to find alternative systems, that would turn the lights on only when an aircraft is in the area.

In his 2020 executive budget request, Gov. Doug Burgum is proposing a $1.25 billion bonding program for infrastructure projects.

Burgum presented his executive budget recommendation to state Legislators Thuursday.

Burgum told Legislators the earnings of the Legacy Fund would be used to create a Legacy Bond Repayment Fund. That money would be used for bond debt payments. It also creates a revolving loan fund, where local governments can go to borrow money for local infrastructure projects.

The Legislature has okayed new rules for the 2021 Legislature – including a mask mandate.

There are some exceptions – but the rules say that if you’re on the floor of the House or Senate, you have to wear a mask, unless you’re speaking. And you do not have to mask up if you can be socially distanced.

Unlike the dustup over the temporary rules, these were approved by voice votes in each chamber.

A midstream natural gas company has applied to increase the capacity of a natural gas liquids pipeline in McKenzie and Dunn Counties.

ONEOK has applied to build two pumping stations on its Bear Creek pipeline, to increase the capacity of the pipeline from 15,000 barrels to 80,000 barrels.

It runs from the Bear Creek gas processing plant to another pipeline.

The company had applied in January, but put the project on hold. Now it wants to go ahead with the project.

North Dakota Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak calls it good news.