After a long fight over the last few weeks, common sense won the day against one of the most vindictive attempted power grabs attempted in recent memory was defeated in the Senate.
During the floor discussion (see above video), the bill carrier admitted that this bill could likely be triggered by one specific project - he didn’t name it but everyone knows that the one project is the Summit Carbon Solutions CO2 pipeline.
Here was the roll call of votes:
The Bismarck Tribune reported on the defeat this afternoon:
State Sen. Greg Kessel, R-Belfield, questioned why the Legislature so frequently votes to provide incentives for these projects if the state wouldn't enforce its authority to permit them.
This sentiment is rich, when it is obvious that the state should stop spending tax money for those sorts of incentives! Of course, he failed to mention that he is one of the beneficiaries of such incentives.
Some of the opposition comments do actually understand the reality:
State Sen. Todd Beard, R-Williston, said the best way to resolve issues over local control is through the court system.
"You want a fight you can't win? Pass this bill out of chamber, because the repercussions of what's going to happen is going to spread across the state," he said.
State Sen. Mark Weber, R-Casselton, said he sees many of the large infrastructure projects proposed as benefits to North Dakota, but there needs to be compromise between industry, local political authorities and landowners.
"We don't like it when the federal government tells our state what to do. Why should we like it then when our own state is telling our cities, counties, school districts and other political sub(divisions) what to do?" he said.
Both of the comments by Senator Beard and Senator Weber echo the warning I gave the committee during the hearing process.
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