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Tuesday January 22 2019
Senator John Hoeven this week reintroduced the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mineral Spacing Act, legislation to streamline and improve the permitting process for energy development. Currently, if the federal government owns any subsurface parcel of a spacing unit, an energy producer is required to receive a federal BLM drilling permit in addition to receiving all the necessary permits from the state or other relevant authorities. The BLM Mineral Spacing Act lifts the requirement for a federal permit when less than 50 percent of subsurface minerals are owned or held in trust by the federal government and there is no federal surface land.
He also discussed the UAS industry, which North Dakota is one of six states who are a test site and are currently assisting with regulation development. Senator John Hoeven issued a statement after Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected the Northern Plains Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Test Site to serve in its unmanned traffic management (UTM) pilot program (UPP). The pilot program seeks to integrate small UAS into the nation’s airspace at lower altitudes. Under this program, North Dakota’s test site will serve as one of three entities responsible for maturing UTM technologies and capabilities and managing airspace for the FAA, NASA and UTM industry partners. These technologies include flight planning, UAS communications and weather services for UAS flying under 400 feet.
Kevin Black, Creedence Energy Services, gives a recap of his 2018 and their incredible growth. Creedence has grown from about 15 employees to nearly 50 in the past year, according to Black.
Black also speculates what 2019 will look like in the Bakken and where some price points are for energy activity.
Workforce issues and state competition is discusses as well and how technology is playing a role.
Rep. Marvin Nelson, D-Rolla, is concerned about the newly designed and implemented North Dakota logo and wants to encourage development of a replacement through a contest invoking the talents of graphic designers from all over. His bill, HB 1457, would complete the redesign in time for the 2020 Travel Guide.
The contest would be administered by the Department of Commerce which would establish necessary criteria, requirements and submission rules. His bill would award the first-place winner $50,000, the second-place finisher $25,000, and $5,000 each to the third through fifth place contest winners.
