Burgum surveys spring storm damage, meets with residents in northwest ND affected by power outages
Gov. Doug Burgum on Tuesday met with local officials, residents and ranchers in Crosby and other parts of Divide County in far northwest North Dakota to survey infrastructure damage from last weekend’s severe spring storm and discuss how the state can help the area recover from widespread power outages.
Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard and director of the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services (NDDES), and state Homeland Security Director Darin Hanson joined Burgum at the Divide County Courthouse for a briefing from local officials including Crosby Mayor and state Rep. Bert Anderson, Divide County Emergency Manager Jody Gunlock, Sheriff Zach Schroeder, county commissioners, city leaders from Ambrose, Noonan and Fortuna, Divide County School District Superintendent Sherlock Hirning and utility representatives.
The meeting took place next to a conference room that had been converted into an emergency shelter with cots and meals for residents who had been without electricity for up to four days. Utility representatives said it could be two weeks or longer before power is restored to all areas.
“As is always the case when severe weather strikes North Dakota, we saw incredible examples of neighbors helping neighbors and communities pulling together to overcome unprecedented obstacles,” Burgum said. “We’re grateful for the leadership on display at all levels and for the tireless efforts of first responders, law enforcement, snowplow crews, utility workers, local, state and federal agencies and others working to protect lives and property. The State of North Dakota will continue to respond with a whole-of-government approach that prioritizes the health, safety and well-being of our citizens.”
Dohrmann and Hanson worked with the local officials to identify resource needs such as generators, heavy equipment and even unmanned aerial vehicles to survey damage in areas where roads are still impassable, and to coordinate with NDDES and other state agencies to assist with recovery. They said they’re confident the storm event will qualify for a presidential disaster declaration, which would make federal assistance available to help cover recovery costs.
Jerry King, general manager of Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative, estimated damage to the co-op’s system at $10 million to $20 million, with more than 1,000 utility poles on the ground and 14 miles of transmission lines damaged.
“We’re in an emergency restoration phase right now, which is about getting lights on to the homes,” said King, who also serves on the Crosby City Council.
North Dakota utilizes UAS network to assist storm recovery efforts with drones
After another round of severe weather brought blizzard conditions, heavy snow and ice to western North Dakota, the state enlisted unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technologies to help restore services to residents and assist recovery efforts, Gov. Burgum announced in a joint release with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS).
North Dakota mobilized UAS to survey rural areas, locating and assessing damage to utility infrastructure, and to help prioritize resources for repairs and recovery.
The remote-pilot-operated drones, flown by ISight Drone Services and the NPUASTS, are able to operate beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights as part of the state’s creation and implementation of Vantis, North Dakota’s UAS network. The UAS flights have been supported and monitored through Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and officials.
“North Dakotans are known for their innovation and resilience,” Burgum said. “In difficult times like this, our citizens and neighbors come together to find new solutions to challenging problems. We’re leveraging the investment the state has made in this UAS infrastructure to help workers identify damage and repair ground-based infrastructure. Utilizing our strength in aviation will help citizens and communities on the ground.”
The drones assisted members of the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, complementing efforts with manned aircraft utilized by Montana-Dakota Utilities. As crews worked around the clock to restore power, it was estimated that some western and northwest parts of the state will not regain service for days or weeks. After coordinating with the FAA, flights began Tuesday, April 26.
“This is one of the primary applications we envisioned in creating this UAS network,” said Trevor Woods, NPUASTS executive director. “We hope this nimble response can help the state’s residents in getting life-saving power restored, and benefit areas and businesses affected by the natural disaster. For such a massive undertaking in fixing lines and infrastructure, we know that locating damage in difficult-to-travel-to areas saves time and assets that can’t afford to be wasted.”
The NPUASTS, one of seven FAA test sites, has been assisting UAS testing for nearly a decade, and has been a leading research facility in the United States. It has been building out Vantis, the state’s BVLOS network that it administers, since the initial state investment in 2019. Vantis’ primary test sites in the Williston and Watford City areas are in close proximity to the regions most heavily affected by the storms.
“We’re proud to be part of a team that is helping North Dakotans in a significant and tangible way,” said ISight CEO Tommy Kenville. “These flights highlight the real-world applications for drones and how critical they will be for services going forward.”
ISight and NPUASTS have also offered to help livestock producers to assess fence lines, do cattle counts and provide imagery of their property in the wake of storm damage. The spring blizzards come at calving season for many ranchers, meaning an added economic vulnerability for these businesses.
Minnkota and Summit Carbon Solutions announce CO2 storage partnership
Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford attended Thursday's announcement of the partnership between Minnkota Power Cooperative and Summit Carbon Solutions to co-develop carbon dioxide storage facilities.
The agreement gives Summit access to a 100-million-ton capacity CO2 storage site near Center, N.D., that has already been permitted for the Project Tundra carbon capture project at Minnkota's Milton R. Young Station. The framework has also been created to begin co-developing other storage facilities in Oliver County, providing increased operational flexibility and maximizing the efficiency of storing CO2.
"We’ve created the right regulatory environment, with a focus on innovation over regulation, and we’ve obtained the necessary authorizations from the feds to pursue carbon capture. We were the first state in the nation – and we’re still one of only two states – to have primacy over permitting Class VI sequestration wells," Sanford said. "But it takes private-sector leadership to push innovation forward, and that’s what we’ve seen here today with this announcement by Minnkota and Summit."
The parties say the agreement reduces risk and accelerates the timeline for financing and construction, while also providing landowners an enhanced opportunity to maximize the value of the rock formations where CO2 will be stored deep below the surface.
Burgum urges U.S. Customs and Border Protection to restore pre-pandemic hours at border crossings
Gov. Burgum last week urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to restore pre-pandemic hours of operation at several ports of entry where hours were reduced in April 2020.
In a letter to CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Burgum noted that of the 10 U.S. ports of entry into North Dakota where hours were reduced, nine of the reductions ranged from four hours to six hours. When the state Tourism Division inquired last week about restoring the pre-pandemic hours of operation, CBP responded that it has no plans to change the hours at any ports of entry in North Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Idaho or Washington.
Burgum said that’s unacceptable, noting CBP had just completed a round of adjustments to hours of service in November 2019 when the additional reductions were imposed in April 2020 in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As a state that shares a 310-mile border with Canada, North Dakotans depend on access to ports of entry for both leisure and commerce, and any reduction in hours of operation causes significant hardship on the movement of citizens, goods and tourists between our two nations,” Burgum wrote.
The governor urged CBP to restore pre-pandemic hours of operations at the ports of entry immediately and requested a meeting with CBP to discuss the issue.
Retired Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley announced as keynote speaker for Governor’s Summit on Innovative Education
Gov. Burgum has announced retired Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley as a keynote speaker for this year’s Summit on Innovative Education on June 9 at Dickinson Middle School.
The Governor’s Summit on Innovative Education inspires educators to reimagine what could be, celebrates innovation that benefits the learner, networks stakeholder groups across North Dakota and transforms education to equip every student to be prepared for an ever-changing world.
This year’s summit will focus on the essential skills for life and learning. With recent investments in career and workforce centers in the state, North Dakota can be the leader in creating healthy, vibrant communities that attract and retain skilled workforce for future generations.
McKinley will provide a message of hope and opportunity in how the essential skills for life and learning are critical for the success and well-being of every child. The four-star general will share about his involvement with the National Commission on Social, Emotional and Academic Development report and how every adult can be a champion for kids.
McKinley began his military career as a student at Southern Methodist University where he was a distinguished graduate from the Air Force ROTC program. A command pilot with more than 4,000 hours of flight time, he served as director of the Air National Guard before becoming chief of the National Guard Bureau. He retired in 2012 after 38 years in the Air Force. His impressive military career and investment in the development of youth demonstrate his commitment to education and future generations.
Registration for the Governor's Summit on Innovative Education is now open!
The FREE event will continue to focus on innovative instructional best practices to personalize learning, as well as other community-derived solutions to best prepare young people for the 21st century economy and citizenship.
Reserve your seat today at the link below:
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