State agencies meet with local officals

STATE AGENCIES MEETING WITH CITY, COUNTY OFFICIALS ON INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Leaders from state agencies will be holding working meetings with county and city officials in western North Dakota on January 23-24.
Governor Jack Dalrymple continues to meet with county and city leaders from throughout western North Dakota and he has directed state agencies to begin a series of working meetings with the goal of creating a greater understanding of the regions oil impacts, coordinating local and state responses and to provide updates on state efforts to help meet the regions needs.
Local officials and representatives from the North Dakota Department of Commerce, Housing and Finance Agency, Department of Transportation, Department of Trust Lands, State Water Commission, State Health Department, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute and Highway Patrol will participate in the working sessions. The public is welcome to attend and will have an opportunity to meet with public officials at the conclusion of the working meetings.
Commerce Commissioner Al Anderson said northwestern North Dakotas oil-producing counties are experiencing challenges in infrastructure relating to the significant growth in jobs, industry, population and wages in their communities.
The growth in western North Dakotas oil and gas industry has created great benefits and opportunities for our state, but this growth brings its own challenges, Anderson said. The state has been and will continue to partner with local governments to assist in developing infrastructure development plans and to address other current and future challenges.
The meeting schedule is as follows:
JANUARY 23 New Town 8:30-10:30 am, 4 Bears Casino & Lodge Watford City 12:30-3 pm, Outlaws Bar & Grill Killdeer 4-6 pm, Buckskin Bar & Grill
JANUARY 24 Dickinson 8-10:30 am, Dickinson State University STROM Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation New England 12-2 pm, Memorial Hall Bowman 4-6 pm, Bowman County Courthouse
The Department of Commerce, along with the other agencies, conducted meetings in other western North Dakota communities January 11-13.
The state has appropriated $1.2 billion to rebuild and repair roads in oil country; to support the development of residential housing; to enhance emergency medical services and to address other oil impacts. Roadway improvement projects include adding turning lanes and passing lanes to 40 miles of ND Highway 85, from Watford City to Williston. Plans are to eventually turn ND 85 into a four-lane highway. The North Dakota Department of Transportation also is planning a truck reliever route for Williston and other reliever routes are under consideration for Dickinson, Alexander, New Town and Watford City. The vast majority of state funding, $885.3 million, remains to be distributed to enhance emergency services, to extend city streets and other infrastructure for new housing development and to address other impacts.
During the 2011 special legislative session, Governor Jack Dalrymple proposed and the Legislature agreed to provide $15 million for the state Housing Incentive Fund to facilitate greater development of low-income housing. Of the total funds, $13.5 million is designated for new, low-income housing development in western North Dakota. Dalrymple also has directed the Highway Patrol to station an additional 13 troopers in western North Dakota. Nine additional troopers began their assignments in western North Dakotan in December and another four troopers will be stationed in the region once they complete training.
The states 20-year strategic transportation plan sets the parameters for state road improvements throughout North Dakota. The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute has augmented the statewide plan with a study of road conditions in oil and gas counties.
The North Dakota Department of Commerce works to improve the quality of life for North Dakota citizens by leading efforts to attract, retain and expand wealth. Commerce serves businesses and communities statewide through committed people and partners who offer valuable programs and dynamic services. www.NDCommerce.com

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