Issue Position: Investing in North Dakota's Energy Sector

Issue Position

Issue Position: Investing in North Dakota's Energy Sector

North Dakota is positioned to become one of America's leaders in energy production, with our near limitless supply of coal, incredible potential for wind, ethanol and biodiesel production, and our increasingly productive oil fields. The possibilities for the state's economy are endless.

During the 110th Congress I have been working to extend several renewable energy tax credits that are vital to North Dakota. These provisions include the extension of tax credits for wind and biodiesel projects, as well as the inclusion of tax credits for small ethanol and biodiesel producers.

We have managed to pass extensions of the wind and biodiesel credits through the House and I will continue to fight to extend these credits to ensure that North Dakota will continue to play a central role in America's energy future.

Wind Energy:
North Dakota is the sixth-largest energy producing and exporting state in the nation, and we have considerable room for growth in renewable energy resources like wind. According to the Department of Energy's Wind Energy Program, North Dakota has the potential to supply 36% of the electricity of the lower 48 states through its wind supply alone, but we have just been scratching the surface in terms of harnessing this potential.

Wind development in North Dakota is taking off, over the past year we have seen new wind farms proposed in all corners of the state. In addition with over 1,200 manufacturing jobs in Grand Forks and Fargo directly tied to the wind industry with many more possible, I think it is safe to say that the future looks bright for the wind industry in North Dakota

Clean Coal Technology:
North Dakota contains an 800-year-supply of lignite coal that provides the state with affordable energy and creates some of the best jobs in the state. I have and will continue to support technologies that will increase the efficiency and lower pollution from North Dakota's lignite facilities.

The Energy Bill that Congress passed and the president signed in December of 2007 makes a strong investment in the future of clean coal technologies. It provides strong funding for research and development into carbon capture and sequestration. Research into this vital technology will help our coal plants to produce power with much fewer emissions.

Bio-fuels:
As the largest producer of canola, 11th in soybean production, and 16th in corn production, North Dakota has enormous potential for producing biofuels like biodiesel and ethanol. We are developing the energy of the future - energy can be grown in North Dakota soil.

Bio-fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel have incredible potential for reducing America's dependence on foreign oil. North Dakota has the potential to greatly contribute towards helping to reduce that dependence. In the past year several new ethanol and biodiesel projects have begun development in North Dakota. These facilities also provide North Dakota with tremendous opportunity for economic development.

Oil Production:
North Dakota is the ninth largest oil producing state in the country. The industry employs over 12,000 people in North Dakota with some of the best-paying jobs in the state. Large volumes of oil still in the ground and new technologies that increase the efficiency of existing oil wells mean that the North Dakota oil industry has a bright future.

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