State Lawmakers Seek to Smooth Rift Between Some Infrastructure Developers And Landowners

(Photo by Jacob Orledge/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – North Dakota lawmakers are looking for ways to reduce the friction between landowners and developers of infrastructure projects, such as pipelines and power lines, as debate continues on how to balance private property rights and economic development.

Matt Perdue, president of the North Dakota Farmer’s Union, said one way to avoid many of the recent disputes is for companies developing a project to have proactive conversations with landowners, local officials and communities.

“We all want to see our rural communities survive. We want to see them thrive,” Perdue said during a Feb. 26 meeting of the interim Energy Development and Transmission Committee at the civic center in Center, northwest of Bismarck. “I think that puts the responsibility on all of us to ensure that we’re doing everything we can to build healthy conversations so people can make well informed decisions about these projects.”

Rep. Mike Brandenburg, R-Edgeley, said he thinks many citizens do not realize that by opposing further development,  they are undercutting the revenue sources local governments will need in the future. “They’re cutting off their own life-support,” Brandenburg said.