The North Dakota Industrial Commission has approved the timelines and guidelines for a proposed natural gas pipeline to bring Bakken gas to the Red River Valley.
The Legislature has approved using $150 million from the federal American Recovery Plan Act, to be used as seed money for the project. $10 million of that will go toward a pipeline to connect Grand Forks with the Viking Pipeline in western Minnesota, to serve a proposed “wet corn milling” plant. Fufeng Group Ltd. is looking to set up shop on 370 acres on the city’s north side.
During the special session Mayor Brandon Bochenski told lawmakers the deal is contingent upon the delivery on natural gas. “We need it now…the problem is we have a two year window to deliver this gas to this company and our agribusiness park. If we can’t do that they’re going to look elsewhere.”
North Dakota Pipeline Authority Director Justin Kringstad says he believes there is a lot of interest among companies for the project. “As soon as discussion started happening about the potential grant program at least a half dozen companies have reached out.”
Kringstad says the goal is to have the Grand Forks part of the project up and running by 2024 – and the rest of the project by 2026.
He says the 2023 Legislature may be asked to increase the state’s investment in that pipeline.
NDPPR/KNOX News
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