Dakota Resource Council – Getting the Word Out
Highlights of National and State Coverage: 48 days ending November 15, 2013
Dickinson Press, Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and Prairie Business (Forum News Service), September 27. “Stark County Zoning Board axes two rail projects.” Linda Weiss, chair of DRC and the Badlands Area Resource Council speaks at hearing.
The Progressive Farmer, October. “Oil Boom! Controversial fracking process brings new wealth, but also worries, to farmers and ranchers.” DRC members Greg Tank, Curt Trulson, and Doug Feiring interviewed extensively in this article.
The Dickinson Press, Jamestown Sun, Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, October 12. “ND pipeline spills 20,600 barrels of oil on famer’s land.” Story on spill includes quotes from DRC news release. Also,
Forum’s Oil Patch Dispatch. “Crude spill has state official wanting more pipeline oversight.” Quotes DRC statement about the need for open public information and discussion.
Minnesota Public Radio, October 12. North Dakota’s Delay in reporting Oil Spill Raises Questions. Includes interview with Theodora Bird Bear, chair of DRC’s Oil and Gas Task Force.
Minot Daily News, October 12. “State needs to step up protecting people, lands.” Interview with Theodora Bird Bear. Photo by DRC organizer Renae VanBerkom Evensvold.
KXMB TV (CBS Bismarck), October 14. “Tesoro Pipeline Spill: Leak detection and public notification: 2 system failures?” DRC says problems show “business as usual” in current ND administration.
Bismarck Tribune, October 15. “Tioga oil leak prompts policy review by state.” Includes interview with Don Morrison on state officials should be open with the public.
Grand Forks Herald, October 13. “Linda Weiss: Pipeline promises to be bad deal for America,” op-ed on Keystone XL; part of the Herald’s pro-con Sunday editorial page debates.
Valley News Live – Point of View, Fargo and Grand Forks, October 16. Chris Berg TV talk show interviews Don Morrison on Tioga oil spill and why it happened. October 22, DRC eastern ND organizer Scott Skokos interview with guest host Ken Story about activism and organizing young people on community issues.
New York Times, October 18. “In North Dakota, New Concerns over Mixing Oil and Wheat.” Ross, ND oil waste issue; quoting local farmers and DRC’s Don Morrison.
Bakken Today (Forum News Service), October 22. “UPDATED: Judge denies legal challenge to PSC campaign contributions.” Quotes DRC chair Linda Weiss. While the judge ruled PSC commissioners’ campaign gifts from coal interests legal, he said they “raised legitimate concerns.”
Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, October 24. “Forum Editorial: It doesn’t pass the smell test” agrees with DRC and the federal judge that it was “devoid of common sense” for PSC commissioners to accept campaign contributions from those tied to coal companies with permits before the PSC.
DRC Annual Meeting Keynote speaker Wilma Subra interviewed live on radio talk shows, October 24. News and Views with Joel Heitkamp, statewide radio talk show, Wilma Subra Promoting DRC Meeting; and on KXDI FM Radio Dickinson Buzz hosted by Josh Nichols.
YaHoo News, October 25. “300 unreported New Spills in North Dakota.” Interview with DRC member Louis Kustler of Stanley. Associated Press story from Bismarck, carried by hundreds of media outlets worldwide.
MSNBC, Rachel Maddow Show, October 25. “Silence on spills show oil’s power in ND.” Interview of Don Morrison, DRC executive director about oil spills in ND; current state government’s response.
Coverage of DRC Annual Meeting: The Dickinson Press, October 25 “Oil spill expert to headline DRC meeting Saturday” and October 26 Oil, gas development health expert aims to help landowners, trashes ND’s regulation of oil and gas industry.
Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, October 26. “Letter: Just who is regulating pipelines?” DRC member Paul Mathews makes the case again for better regulation of pipelines.
Canada’s CBC radio “As It Happens,” October 28. Canadian national news program interview Don Morrison on oil spills in North Dakota and state officials’ attitude about people living in the Bakken. Online, it’s Part 3, at 10:52.
WDAY Radio, Jay Thomas Show, October 30. DRC on radio talk show about oil spills in North Dakota. Don Morrison interviewed for 20 minutes.
KFYR TV (NBC ND News), October 31. “Groups urge public to report illegal dumping.” Response to DRC news release about ND Health Department’s problems implementing oil waste regulations. Also covered in the Bismarck Tribune, November 1, 2013, “Groups Say Report Dumping,”
The Dickinson Press, November 2. “Dakota Resource Council launches photo campaign to ‘Save TRNP.’” Front page story with interviews with Scott Skokos and Don Morrison. Also in the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Click here for photos.
Dickinson Press (Forum News Service), November 8. “Report calls for protection of water from oil development.” Release of “Watered Down,” a report by Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC) about the dangers to water quality from oil and gas production in ND, MT, CO, and WY. Quotes Theodora Bird Bear. Report written by Mark Trechock. Also, Theodora quoted in story by KFYR TV (NBC ND News), November 10. “Concerns in Western ND.”
Bismarck Tribune’s Bakken Breakout, by Associated Press, November 8. “As coal projects languish, some question worth.” Companies expected to seek extension for millions of tax dollars on projects going nowhere. Quotes from Don Morrison.
Bismarck Tribune, November 15. “Study to look at raising radioactive waste limits.” DRC member Darrell Dorgan challenges need to raise radioactive level. Theodora Bird Bear says North Dakotans should be involved early in the study.