An oil waste facility could become a reality in Bowman County after voters were nearly split on the issue, with 504 for it and 454 having voted against the project.
The North Dakota Department of Health had worked with Montana resident Dale Leivestad for more than three years in drafting a permit to allow an oil production waste facility about 14 miles south of Marmarth and 32 miles west of Bowman.
Leivestad, owner of Petrocomp, owned and operated an oil production waste facility at a Baker, Mont., landfill and after several indiscretions were found in his operation, including spillage, testing failure, inadequate runoff controls and excessive oily waste, the operation was shut down.
The proposed Bowman County site would be a compost disposal cell for the solid byproduct produced by centrifuging oil production and exploration waste.
Petrocomp's preliminary site mapping contains two disposal cells, each measuring about 85 feet by 105 feet with an approximate 10,000-ton capacity per cell, Waste Management Division Director Scott Radig said.
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During a March 4 public comment meeting in Bowman, concerns were raised with the site due to possible water contamination, erosion, sampling and inspections.
An additional condition was placed on the permit, requiring a minimum of 75 feet from high-erosion areas.
The permit also requires Petrocomp to pay for monthly inspections by the Southwest District Health Unit as long as the three-year permit is active.
"We'll re-evaluate the need to do that, but if it looks like we need to continue on with that level of inspections and oversight, we will continue to have them pay the cost of those inspections," said Dave Glatt, the health department's environmental health section chief.
The health department will be conducting quarterly inspections and independent samples and tests will be required of Petrocomp each month.
The health department approved the permit last week.
Radig said the permit could not be implemented unless voters approved the measure and they did so in Tuesday's election.
