Policy

DAKOTA RESOURCE COUNCIL’S STANCES ON OIL & GAS DEVELOPMENT (past and present)

• DRC urges federal legislation to close the “Halliburton loophole” and allow regulation of hydraulic fracturing fluids under the Safe Water Drinking Act. (2009)

• DRC urges federal legislation to confer to private landowners above federal oil and gas reserves the right to know in advance when those reserves are offered for lease and when drilling operations are to commence, and to require a good-faith offer of a surface use agreement prior to surface occupancy. (2009)

• DRC opposes any law or rule interpreting an oil and gas lease as conveying a fresh water right. (2008)

• DRC urges an exhaustive inventory of state aquifers prior to issuance of additional permits for water depots for oil and gas industry use. (2008)

• DRC opposes state and federal permitting of the TransCanada Keystone pipeline. (2007)

• DRC opposes any use of waste oilfield saltwater for de-icing North Dakota roads. (2007)

• DRC supports the reform of standards for surface use agreements to improve the leverage of surface owners and residents who do not hold minerals. (2006)

• DRC supports an increase in state oil and gas well reclamation bonding sufficient to protect the public against clean-up costs. (2006)

• DRC supports policies designed to guard against leakage from underground pipes transferring saltwater produced in oil and gas operations to disposal wells. (2006)

• DRC supports repeal of the 50% “risk penalty” for non-leasing mineral owners participating in oil extraction. (2005)

• DRC opposes issuance of temporary water permits to oil and gas extraction companies forindustrial use. (2005)

• DRC favors moving the seismic shot hole setback rule from 660 feet back to 1,320 feet.(2004)

• DRC favors a state law requiring oil companies to pay abstract fees resulting frommineral rights transactions with parties other than the surface owner, and a state lawforbidding companies from mortgaging surface mineral leases. (1991)