BISMARCK, ND – The North Dakota Petroleum Council (NDPC) today announced that legendary Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz will provide a keynote address during the NDPC’s Annual Meeting to be held Wednesday, Sept. 18 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND. Holtz took his Notre Dame teams to nine straight New Year’s Day bowl games from 1987 through 1995 and remains 11th on the NCAA all-time win list for Division I-A coaches.

“The petroleum industry has had incredible success in helping our economy and our country, and I am delighted to be joining the North Dakota Petroleum Council and its members in Grand Forks,” said Holtz. “There are a great deal of similarities between being a coach and one of the many industry leaders who have seized this tremendous opportunity to help move our state and nation forward. Just as on the athletic field, the ability of leaders to adapt, find solutions for evolving challenges and issues, and capitalize on opportunities makes for a winning proposition.”

“We are excited to have a legend like Coach Holtz join us at our 32nd Annual Meeting,” said Ron Ness, president of the NDPC. “Coach Holtz’s record as a coach demonstrates his ability to motivate others, and there is no doubt his talk will be an inspiration for our attendees and the leaders of our state and the industry.”

Also joining Holtz as a featured speaker at the Annual Meeting will be Statoil’s General Manager of North America, Bill Maloney; Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s CEO Matt Rose; and North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple.

In addition to the business meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 18, this year’s Annual Meeting will feature a Community Education Day and BBQ on Sept. 16. The event will be free and open to the public and will include two Bakken Basics Education sessions, which will be held from 2:30-4 p.m. and 4-5:30 p.m. in Ballrooms 4 and 5 in the Alerus Center. A free BBQ will be held from 5-7:30 p.m. and the community is invited to attend and visit the Members Only Showcase, which will be open from 3:30-7:30 p.m.

“We are excited to take our Annual Meeting to Grand Forks this year and showcase the support, products and services that many of the businesses in the Red River Valley provide for the Bakken,” said Terry Kovacevich, NDPC chairman and regional vice president for Marathon Oil. “Many business leaders in eastern North Dakota have capitalized on the opportunities provided by the petroleum industry in western North Dakota, which has created jobs and helped the economies of communities from Pembina to Wahpeton.”

NDPC members will also have an opportunity to showcase their products and services during a Members Only Showcase to be held for Annual Meeting attendees on Tuesday, Sept. 17. For a full schedule and agenda of speakers, visit https://annualmeeting.risprojects.org/agenda.aspx. 

Since 1952, the Petroleum Council has been the primary voice of the oil and gas industry in North Dakota. The Petroleum Council represents more than 420 companies involved in all aspects of the oil and gas industry, including oil and gas production, refining, pipeline, mineral leasing, consulting, legal work, and oil field service activities in North Dakota, South Dakota, and the Rocky Mountain Region. Our members produced 98% of the 243 million barrels of oil produced in North Dakota last year.  For more information, go to www.ndoil.org.

Opinion Article

“Phelim We Hardly Knew Ye”

By: Bob van der Valk
Dateline: Terry, Montana
June 27, 2013

This opinion article deals with FrackNation as a pro-hydraulic fracturing for oil & gas documentary. Comments, other than my own, were made by individual landowners in the Pennsylvania area where the controversy about hydraulic fracturing had its inception.

Bob van der Valk

FrackNation’s Phelim McAleer has been able to hit Josh Fox’s Gasland and Gasland Part II movies with his best shot making his points about hydraulic fracturing not being the cause for underground water contamination.   Neither is the methane produced by the drilling process resulted in any of the health problems purportedly suffered by land owners where the drilling has been done.

For the last two years Phelim McAleer has made it his life’s calling chasing Josh Fox around the country peppering him with embarrassing questions about ridiculous charges being made in the original Gasland movie.  Gasland was nominated for an Oscar as the Best Documentary of 2010.  Most, if not all, of the charges made by emotionally and financially driven opponents to hydraulic fracturing drilling for natural gas have been debunked by Federal and State agencies, which became involved by reacting to the public attention Gasland initially received.

Recently Phelim McAleer has been showing his FrackNation up against Gasland Part II.  This is leading up to the HBO-TV premiere of Gasland Part II on July 9, 2013. FrackNation will be shown again on AXS-TV July 10, 2013 both of them will get high viewer ship for both cable channels.

What has been lost in this conversation about hydraulic fracturing is the US becoming energy secure once again of having to import crude oil from countries with governments hostile to our way of life. Neither Josh Fox nor Phelim McAleer one have oil industry experience and are continuing this unnecessary raucous to promote themselves.

Sherry Hart

After the Binghamton, New York, February 10, 2013 showing of FrackNation a question was asked by Craig Stephens addressing Phelim McAleer, the producer of FrackNation, about the December 15, 2010 “Dimock Consent Order and Settlement Agreement” (COSA): http://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/OilGasLandingPageFiles/FinalCO&A121510.pdf

Similar to what has happened since the beginning of the Dimock saga, the actual contents and findings of the COSA frequently get overlooked while pro-drillers and drilling opponents continue to banter with each other about the water being poisoned, no it wasn’t, etc.   Phelim’s brief answer to Cabot’s move to settle was that it was a case of corporate business as usual and happens all the time.  Partly true, but anyone who has been following the Carter Road allegations and its resulting mounds of paperwork and legal filings for the last couple of years are familiar with a few things above and beyond his answer:

The PA DEP claimed identification of the migrating gas as being from Cabot’s wells primarily using “presumptive guilt”, based only on proximity to the well, and explains their findings in a the original COSA dated November 4,2009 (http://www.marcellus-shale.us/pdf/Cabot_Consent-Order_11-4-09.pdf) which states starting in January 2009 PA DEP collected samples from water wells providing water to 13 homes which showed elevated levels of dissolved methane as well as identified combustible gas in the headspaces of seven of those water wells.

After the COSA was established, Cabot hired an independent consultant to perform a separate investigation.  According to a review of data on the same exact wells determined to be problematic by PA DEP, Robert W. Watson, Ph.D./P.E. and Associate Professor Emeritus of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering and Environmental Systems Engineering, etc. concluded that Cabot was using procedures for drilling, casing and cementing wells even at that time which met or exceeded the requirements of the Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Act, were adequate to protect the drinking water, and which did not cause or allow methane migration into the drinking water. (http://www.cabotog.com/pdfs/Dr_Bob_Watson_WhitePaper_101010.pdf – page 2 and again in the Conclusion on page.

Based upon those findings, and mostly those findings alone, because all of the water supplies were within 1,300 or less feet of a Cabot well and because those wells were drilled within the preceding six months, PA regulations deem a determination of guilt can be made.  (page 3-4, articles J-K): The Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Act: A Summary of Statutory Provisions dated March 2009, Section 208: Protection of Water Supplies (58 P.S. § 601.208) (page 4) states, in part, “There is a refutable presumption that a polluted water supply located within 1,000 feet of a well is caused by the well.” http://law.psu.edu/_file/aglaw/SummaryOfPennsylvaniaOilAndGasAct.pdf  This Summary was written prior to pre-drill tests becoming mandatory, which if anything could well be the most important lesson learned in Dimock.

Other information that could be pertinent is in the legal filings of the lawsuit itself:

1) The Dimock litigants fired their original lawyer when another better known litigation firm offered to take them on as clients.  They walked out leaving $650,294.18 in legal fees unpaid. 2) When the revised COSA was finalized, settlement amounts of the plaintiffs totaled $2,234,160. (2011-11-30 2010 COSA Settlement amounts.jpg).  Amounts of the settlement varied depending on individual property appraisals.  These funds were put into an escrow account to be claimed by December of last year.  There were no restrictions put on this money; it was free for them to collect and they could still continue with their lawsuit and water deliveries would continue.  (2011-12-16 DEP and Cabot Rev Consent Order and Settlement Agreement.PDF)
3) Their original lawyer caught wind of this settlement and put a lien on the escrow account for the outstanding fees the litigants had not paid. (2011-01-12 Motion to demand fired attorneys fee.pdf)
4)  All those persons within the determined effected area and not involved in the lawsuit, claimed their money.  None of the litigants did because doing so would mean paying their first lawyer.  This got muddled in their lies of how Cabot was forcing them to sign non-disclosure agreements and quit the lawsuit… all of which is written into the contract that the money is theirs – no restrictions on it.
5) In August, most of the litigants settled, but do have to abide by a gag order regarding the settlement amounts or findings.  Also, the money contained in the escrow account set up per the COSA goes back to Cabot.  Thus Dan Dinges statement, “The aggregate value of the settlements are not a material item with respect to Cabot’s financial statements,” (statement found in the Philly.com article referenced below.)   I believe there is currently only one remaining holdout, Ray Kemble, who spoke to the Philadelphia Inquirer soon after the settlement offers were made and accepted by the majority of the litigants.  He mentions what his settlement offer was and it appears it was pretty close to the same amount originally offered him in the COSA. (Per Philly.com: http://articles.philly.com/2012-08-27/news/33403570_1_susquehanna-county-town-cabot-oil-baby-drill) “Kemble is angry at just about everybody – Cabot, regulators, his own lawyers, and his ex-wife, who accepted the settlement, thereby reducing the amount offered to him. He said he would only see $79,000 from the deal, after legal fees.”  His ex-wife was entitled to half the amount offered, thus twice the amount Kemble states he was offered is $158,000.  Originally the COSA provided for a settlement offer of $185,712.00.
6) Thus, it appears the litigants were offered just slightly less the amount originally offered without having to access the funds that had liens on them, probably due to lawyer’s cuts, etc.  Settlement discussions began soon after the third set of water test results were released showing, once again, the water tested within acceptable drinking water standards.

This is why Phelim’s response fell far short and was merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Robin Fehrenbach Scala 

Are you hearing that Phelim is actually on the other side?  Or is it a setup so both can profit from the argument and their respective films?  Having met and argued with Josh Fox even before his film came out, I know he is a liar and expect no truth to ever come from his mouth.

It was later that I was contacted by Magdalena Segieda, who is the Director and Producer of FrackNation, in an effort to find people in my area who were drilled and would talk on camera for the film. I met her first and we made some initial contacts, then Phelim and the film crew came out and spent a whole day in my house getting possible scenes with me and Sherry Hart talking about our issues and showing us working the boards and contacting landowners and politicians. (Of all those hours we appear for exactly 2 seconds maybe, which we were happy about).

HBO is trying to justify their financial backing of Gasland and Part II (and Fox in general) so it seems like a good time to spread information, which could be used against Phelim or make him seem like he is just as bad as Fox.

 I also provided money to be executive producer and was involved from before the film was a film. There IS one way to prove who is right, and that is to follow the money. If HBO is really paying for ANYTHING they could prove it. But they won’t.  I trust HBO less than a guy sitting on a street corner with a hat waiting for spare change. Ask them to prove it. They can’t.

By the way, HBO DOES NOT put up those posters.  Phelim does and has since the beginning. It started from his first argument with Josh, where he asked if Josh knew about methane being in the water since the dawn of time, and Josh said, “It is not relevant”

Game On!

Now Phelim makes sure that if Gasland Part II is being shown, FrackNation is also being shown in the same town, biting at the bit for the debate with Josh, but there’s no point holding his breath!

At least HBO did not pay for FrackNation or any part of it or any advertising for it. They DID pay for Gasland and Part II and are now sucking eggs over it.

I never read the account about the arrest of the Julia Mineeva, the former Russian TV anchor, at the premiere of Gasland Part II or if her arrest for trespassing was a set up.  I do know that Josh Fox set up his own arrest (complete with his cameras rolling) at a committee hearing in the House of Representatives so he could use it in Gasland Part II.

The only reason I feel I can stand up for Phelim (though I could be wrong…it is always possible to be wrong) is due to his behavior on all other occasions where I have been with him or them, watching how they react.

See, I am the type who would make the movie and then go broke because I did not attempt to make money for travel and distribution. The movie would then be a waste of time and investor money.

I would hope that Phelim is making SOME kind of money so he does not go broke (as I would, which is stupid) trying to get the word out.

If anyone is being a money hog and pretending to actually care, it is Josh Fox, who will admit it to anyone everywhere except when asked during a screening.

Being a landowner in PA and NY, I felt like I hit the lottery when Phelim and company contacted me to help make the movie. I had no way to educate the public on my own and attempts to find a spokesperson died after speaking to an agent for an hour while finding out what it would cost to get the person I wanted.

Bob van der Valk

FrackNation exposed Josh Fox for the publicity seeker he is. The oil industry needs to have a serious discussion about the urban lies being spread by the likes of Josh Fox. Phelim did a good job on FrackNation and accomplished just that. He is a journalist and should have stuck to bringing out the true facts about hydraulic fracturing.  But we need an independent journalist to tell the true story on how to go about making the US energy secure. The next frontier will be in California with the Monterey Shale Formation coming into play. Their potential reserves of oil & gas is 3 times bigger than Marcellus, Eagle Ford & the Bakken combined.

Robin Fehrenbach Scala

You just explained your position so it makes total sense to me. Phelim has become the story.

Thanks for continuing our conversation until I could “get it”.

Bob van der Valk

God bless the USA!

This editorial was written with the assistance and input of:

  • James Asbury – Mansfield, Pennsylvania
  • Robin Fehrenbach Scala – Factoryville, Pennsylvania
  • Sherry Hart – Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania

Disclosure: Bob van der Valk, Robin Fehrenback Scala and Sherry Hart donated funds to the Kickstarter program and are credited as Executive Producers of FrackNation.

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Retrieved May 6, 2013  •  By PIPER HAUGAN Montana Standard
BUTTE — In former Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s words, the Bakken oil formation in Eastern Montana and North Dakota is “a millionaire maker.’’

Schweitzer, speaking at a conference at Highlands College on Friday, focused his talk on the demand for solid Main Street businesses in that area.

The conference, called “Tapping Opportunity in the Bakken,” highlighted the status of the Bakken oil field and the challenges of doing business in the area. Schweitzer joined a host of speakers.

Schweitzer’s speech was full of his usual humor — “Why would you call something good a frack?” he asked, regarding the controversial method of extracting oil and gas that he supports.

A soil scientist, Schweitzer told the audience that one doesn’t have to be in the oil business to profit off of the boom in Eastern Montana. There are many other demands — with infrastructure like sewers and roads in need for repair, a desperate shortage of housing and visitors’ accommodations and the need for other basic necessities like transportation and food.

“If you know anything about anything … if you’re good at it, you’ll make money in the Bakken,” he said.

He pointed out that oil companies in the Bakken spend $750 million a year on sand alone for their fracking operations. At the selling rate of $80 to $160 a ton, people – Montanans –could make money simply by selling sand, he said.

He also said with issues over water rights, it’s “going to take a bunch of lawyers out there to get it sorted out.”

He said the Bakken is not going to be a boom-bust region, but will continue to thrive.

“Whatever you study, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “If you go to the Bakken, you’re going to hit home runs.”

Consultancy of the Year – Antea Group

Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year – Aon Corporation

Drilling & Well Services Company of the Year – Marquis Alliance Energy Group

E&P Company of the Year, sponsored by TEEMCO – QEP Resources, Inc.

Engineering Company of the Year, sponsored by Cosential – Spartan Engineering Inc.

Environmental Initiative of the Year, sponsored by Austin Exploration – TEEMCO, LLC

Future Industry Leader – Megan Starr

Health & Safety Initiative of the Year – FTS International

Industry Leader – Mark C. Peterson

Industry Supplier of the Year – Frank Henry Equipment USA, LLC

Insurance Provider of the Year – IMA, Inc.

Law Firm of the Year – Burleson LLP

Manufacturer of the Year – Cobra Manufacturing & Sales LLC

Midstream Company of the Year, sponsored by Spartan Engineering – High Sierra Energy, LP

Recruitment Agency of the Year – Precision Placement Services, Inc.

Terminal of the Year – Savage

Transaction of the Year, sponsored by mergermarket – Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.

Trucking Company of the Year – Brady Trucking, Inc.

Water Management Company of the Year – BeneTerra

Congratulations to all of the 2012 Rocky Mountain Oil & Gas Awards winners. Thanks to all of the sponsors and partners.

For full information on the awards please visit: http://www.oilandgasawards.com/?page_id=12

If you would like to arrange interviews, or review video and photo assets and for anything else please contact: Marc Bridgen on +1 (210) 591 8475 or email marc@oilandgasawards.com.

About the Awards:

The Oil & Gas Awards recognize the outstanding achievements made within the Upstream and Midstream sectors of the North American Oil & Gas Industry. The Awards are a platform for the Industry to demonstrate and celebrate the advances made in the key areas of the environment, efficiency, innovation, corporate social responsibility and health & safety. The Awards show the Industry’s motivation to develop by recognizing and rewarding the efforts of corporations and individuals.

The Oil & Gas Industry is of upmost importance to the U.S. National Economy and instrumental to both National and Energy Security. In its areas of operation the Oil & Gas Industry also plays a key role for local communities and their economies. Through innovation the Industry has driven forward technological developments, which have created a renaissance in the energy sector, enabling the U.S. to tap into one of the worlds largest natural gas reserves. In spite of its significance, the Industry still has its critics and gets more than its fair share of negative press. The Oil & Gas Industry has made great gains in meeting its responsibilities to the environment, to corporate social responsibility and the health & safety of staff and the public alike.

The awards take place in the six main onshore Oil and Gas producing regions of North America, including; Gulf Coast, Mid Continent, Northeast, Rocky Mountain, Southwest and West Coast. The Awards are designed to focus on specific regions of North America to allow geographically relevant organizations the ability to network at the gala dinner, and to ensure successful companies can utilize and benefit from their ‘winners status’ within their business community. In combining the Midstream and Upstream sectors, the awards bring together partners, and enable these co-dependent markets to acknowledge one another’s achievements. A number of the Award categories recognize service providers to the Industry, who play a vital role in its success and contribute to its reputation. The Awards welcome entries from organizations of every size and each entry is judged on its individual merits, and on a level playing field with its competition.

The Awards and the Organizations involved will be publicized in local, national and international trade publications and general press, in the run up to and after each ceremony. The core aim of the Oil & Gas Awards is to advertise and promote the Industry’s drive to improve and develop by rewarding organization’s achievements.

The Oil & Gas Awards mission is to become the most prestigious and sought after Awards in the Industry. The reputation of the Awards is paralleled to those of its judges and the Organizations they represent. To this end, appropriate candidates for the judging panels have been carefully researched and recommendations sought to find Industry thought leaders. Each judging panel consists of a mix of highly respected individuals from market leading E&P and Midstream companies.

For additional information, or to arrange interviews with staff, judges or partners please contact Marc Bridgen, Chief Marketing Officer on +1 210 591 8475 or marc@oilandgasawards.com.

Contact: Jeff Zarling
Phone: 701-577-1100
Email: info@bakkenconference.com

Minot, ND—The Bakken Investor Conference employs Attendee Communication System and the Dawa Events Mobile App to facilitate attendee communications and connections before, during and after the event.

Dawa Solutions Group has partnered Sleep Inn & Suites Minot to host the 3rd Annual Bakken Investor Conference on April 24 through April 26 to connect investors with oil and gas companies and real estate developers to explore investment and development opportunities in the Bakken Shale play.

“The oil and gas industry is driving the economy in the Williston Basin and with it the need for more housing and real estate development. Although the Williston Basin is growing, it still has a local feel,” noted Jeff Zarling, President, Dawa. “If you want to do business in the Bakken, you have to get here. Face-to-face interactions and connections are key factors in successfully doing business in the Williston Basin.”

The Attendee Communication System is a private systems platform that allows attendees to view and connect directly and confidentially with other attendees before, during and after the conference.

Attendees can comfortably contact one another through the system without having to worry about their information being freely circulated. Attendees have complete authority over who receives their information.

The Dawa Events Mobile App gives attendees access to the conference agenda, list of exhibitors, and list of attendees directly from their phone or other Apple or Android mobile device. Like the Attendee Communications System, the app allows users to privately message one another before, during and after the event.

The app is available to download from both the apple store for apple devices and the Google play store for android devices. Instructions to login and use these tools are posted at www.BakkenConference.com/attend.

“It’s paramount for the successful growth and development of our community to bring together these two key industries and their investors,” he added. “With the Attendee Communications System and the DEMA, making connections at an event has never been easier.”

In addition to the technology tools, the conference also hosts an Attendee Connection. The Attendee Connection is a forum which allows each attendee 30 seconds to introduce him/herself and tout any other relevant information. As part of the forum, conference attendees receive a numbered list of attendees, noting their name, title and represented entity. During each introduction, the attendee states what number represents him/her. Using the list, attendees can quickly and easily identify the speaker and make notes next to those attendees with whom they want to personally meet or contact.

“The Attendee Connection is a significant aspect of the conference,” stated Zarling. “It’s the equivalent of speed dating but for business relationships and has been a hit with attendees at our past conferences.”

For more information on the Bakken Investor Conference, please go to www.BakkenConference.com.

# # #

Bob van der Valk recently joined the Bakken Oil Business Journal as their Managing Editor of the bi-monthly print and digital journal editions, connecting business and resources for the greater Bakken area. Bob has collaborated & contributed to the editorial voice of the Bakken Oil Business Journal since its inaugural issue in May of 2012. He has been the source of information on the petroleum industry, as a whole, in addition to paying specific attention to the booming growth of Oil & Gas industry in the Bakken Oil Shale Region. Bob is quoted regularly in the national media for his expertise on petroleum industry matters and fluctuations in the prices of petroleum products.

Bob has over 50 years of experience in the downstream refining and marketing sector of the petroleum industry with particular expertise on the U.S. western region. He is also a regular guest on Tom Egelhoff’s “Open for Business” radio program on KMMS-AM 1450 from Bozeman discussing current events in the petroleum industry for the region.

Mary Edwards is the Publisher of the every other month edition of the Journal teeming with petroleum industry articles about the current news, technology advancements, and information pertaining to the businesses and services operating in the Bakken Oil Shale Region. In addition to the glossy color print edtionof the Journal, a corresponding digital version is available via the Internet designed for today’s popular computer tablets & smart phone mobile devices. Up to 4,000 of the Journal’s print editions are mailed direct to a demographic of businesses & companies active in the regional petroleum industry. They are also being made available to individuals attending the top Bakken Oil Regional Conferences & Energy Trade Shows.

URTeC, 12-14 August 2013 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver

By: Amy Dalrymple, Forum News Service
THE DICKENSON PRESS

BISMARCK – Oil companies operating in North Dakota are keeping the brakes on this spring, but a “big surge in production” is expected this summer and fall, the director of the Department of Mineral Resources said Tuesday.

Lynn Helms said he expects the drilling rig count will increase from today’s count of 186 to 198 this summer, bringing as many as 2,000 more workers to Oil Patch communities.

Helms said he expects winter weather and spring road restrictions will continue affecting oil production for a few more months.

“It is going to be May, maybe even June, before production seriously gets underway,” Helms said.

Oil production rose 5.6 percent in February to 778,971 barrels per day, according to preliminary figures Helms released Tuesday.

The figure represents a new all-time high for North Dakota, but Helms said the increase was more modest than what he had projected.

“It’s still difficult to operate an oilfield and drill and frac wells in February, even a good February in North Dakota,” Helms said.

The department expects that winter storms will affect oil production in March and April. Helms projects it will take until May before the state hits 800,000 barrels per day.

“They’re keeping the brakes on as they ramp up a little bit this summer,” Helms said.

But once conditions improve, companies are expected to continue increasing their efficiency and drill more wells in less time.

Helms said the industry is proposing more multi-well pads, with seven wells on one location being the most popular number.

“It’s a positive thing because it decreases the footprint, increases the production and allows us to recover more of the Bakken and Three Forks oil,” Helms said.

One location in North Dakota has 14 wells that have been drilled. Helms said he’s signed three orders approving 18 wells on one location and he knows of two proposals that will come before him requesting to drill 24-well pads.

Flaring of natural gas rose about 1 percent in February to 30.4 percent, the second month in a row with an increase. The high was 36 percent in September 2011.

However, there has been huge improvement in the average number of days a well flares, Helms said. In 2007, a typical well flared for 380 days. In 2011, the average was 172 days and in 2012 the average was 51 days, Helms said.

Helms said he anticipates more progress will be made on reducing flaring this summer.

by North Dakota Housing & Finance Agency

The Industrial Commission of North Dakota has reported that more than 600 private investors have successfully capitalized the $15 million state Housing Incentive Fund (HIF).

“Thanks to North Dakota citizens and our business community, the Housing Incentive Fund is fully capitalized and available to move forward on affordable housing projects in western North Dakota and across the state,” members of the Industrial Commission said in a joint statement. “With legislative approval, we will continue to utilize the Housing Incentive Fund to encourage even greater affordable housing development.”

The Industrial Commission, consisting of Governor Jack Dalrymple as chairman, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, oversees the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency, which administers HIF.

Created by the 2011 Legislature, HIF is used to develop affordable multifamily housing. Contributors to the fund receive a dollar-for-dollar state income tax credit for their contributions. Dollars given can be targeted to a specific project or community.

Ninety percent of the contributions were by individuals who contributed an average of $10,021. The largest corporate supporter was Marathon Oil Co., contributing $3 million. Gate City Bank contributed $1.25 million, the most by a financial institution.

“Developer interest in the program was strong from the start, with all of the available financing spoken for in less than a year,” said Mike Anderson, NDHFA executive director.

NDHFA has conditionally committed HIF dollars to 26 projects to create 739 new units in Beach, Belfield, Bowman, Crosby, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Grand Forks, Kenmare, Killdeer, Kulm, Mandan, Minot, Parshall, Ray, Watford City and Williston. Total construction cost for the projects is $104 million.

“Our greatest challenge was getting the word to taxpayers that they could direct their tax dollars to affordable housing development,” said Anderson. “We are grateful for assistance from our housing partners, business groups and the media in reaching this goal.”

Governor Dalrymple has proposed transferring $30 million from the state general fund for direct investment in HIF for the 2013-15 biennium. An additional $20 million in tax credits would bring the total fund to $50 million. The proposed legislation has been pre-filed as House Bill 1029.

For more information on HIF, contact NDHFA at (701) 328-8080, (800) 292-8621 orwww.ndhousingincentivefund.org.

Posted on 1/3/2013. Retrieved January 10, 2013.