Geoff Simon’s Quick Connects — July 28, 2023

• North Dakota delegation calls for EPA to withdraw methane rule -- Minot Daily News

• ND officials say proposed oil leasing rules would hurt the US -- The Center Square

• ExxonMobil's acquisition of Denbury bodes well for Bakken economy -- WDAY

• ND trust lands generate $522.5M in oil and gas royalties -- Bismarck Tribune

• Proposed initiative would require North Dakota lawmakers be out of office before turning 81 -- Fox News

• Work is progressing on the $435 million Northwest Area Water Supply project -- Prairie Public

• North Dakota's seat belt law moves from secondary to primary enforcement Aug 1 -- Williston Herald

• Group wanting to eliminate North Dakota property tax officially launches statewide effort -- KX News

• Governor Doug Burgum becomes 7th candidate to qualify for first Republican primary debate -- KFGO

• Doug Burgum: From Fargo to Microsoft to the White House in 2024? -- Wall Street Journal

• Port: Doug Burgum has officially qualified for the first debate stage. Now what? -- Fargo Forum

• Bakken Rocks Cookfest comes around full circle in 14th year with return to Killdeer -- Minot Daily News

• McKenzie County continues to lead oil production with 5,410 active wells -- McKenzie County Farmer

• NDDOT announces $10M funding program for state's townships; invites applications -- Dickinson Press

• Major milestone passed in construction for Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library -- KFYR - TV

• Williston airport boarding sees 30 percent increase over last year as bigger planes arrive -- KFYR - TV

• Three people hospitalized in crash where semi failed to yield four miles east of Ray -- KFYR - TV

• Divide County Commission facing potential $3.2M revenue shortfall in 2024 budget -- The Journal

• Royalty oversight program now in place; created to provide protection to mineral owners -- The Journal

• Influx of out-of-town guests ND State Fair brings has major impact on city of Minot -- Minot Daily News

• Tioga city commissioners voted to again take up expansion of Community Center -- Tioga Tribune

• Williston Economic Development awards $75,000 grant to develop drone infrastructure -- KFYR - TV

• Ray school board gives preliminary budget approval; next year's finances in good spot -- Tioga Tribune

• Early enrollment at Tioga's Central Elementary show all-time high number of students -- Tioga Tribune

• NDDPI is seeking applicants for US Senate Youth Program through October 22 -- Minot Daily News

• Highly anticipated Wolf Pup 2 on track to open for upcoming school year -- McKenzie County Farmer

• New Alexander Daycare estimated to be $5.4M ask of city from the county -- McKenzie County Farmer

• Williston Education Association endorses school board incumbents for recall election -- KFYR - TV

• Bowman School announces new guidelines for use of electronic devices -- Bowman County Pioneer

• Taylor-Richardton Elementary unveils newly completed state-of-the-art gymnasium -- Dickinson Press

• Eight students awarded $40,000 in scholarships from Hess Corp. and NDSF Foundation -- KX News

• U.S. refining profits are expected to fall from last year's records but remain strong -- Reuters

• Obscure elements in Biden oil regs could make waves for drillers ? and federal coffers -- E&E News

• Is Germany's aggressive energy transition away from coal threatening its industrial future? -- OilPrice

• Clean energy transition could lead to shortage of metals, finds new report -- Interesting Engineering

• Canada releases framework to phase out fossil fuel subsidies; first G20 country to do so -- Reuters

• Ten questions to ask yourself about the transition to renewables -- Wall Street Journal

• "'A hoax": Steve Milloy exposes climate fearmongering about hot summer weather -- PJ Media

• Meteorologist mocks study claiming heatwaves "impossible" without 'climate change' -- Climate Depot

• Climate expert rips Washington Post claim of hottest "world record" ocean temperature -- Climate Depot

• Lawmakers see need for 'common language' on ever-more pressing energy permitting reform -- The Hill

• EPA agrees to reconsider national smog-forming emissions limits for new gas power plants -- Reuters

• Senate Republicans react to Biden admin's proposed new rule on public lands leasing -- KFYR - TV

• China's gasoline demand seen peaking at 3.7 million bpd as EV boom hastens transition -- Reuters

• US oilfield service providers expect rig count recovery later this year citing uptick in prices -- Reuters

• Supreme Court paves way for construction of controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline to resume -- CBS

Geoff Simon’s Quick Connects — July 21, 2023

• New all-time high of 18K reached for oil producing wells in North Dakota -- KX News

• State official testifies to support minerals exchange legislation -- Minot Daily News

• Oilfield deals clip oil and gas drilling budgets says North Dakota official -- Nasdaq

• Royalty oversight program helps owners with payment issues -- Dickinson Press

• Unusual alliances emerge amid opposition to eminent domain for carbon pipelines -- Bismarck Tribune

• Data centers love North Dakota, but should North Dakota love data centers? -- High Plains Reader

• North Dakota GOP continues to make efforts to increase its presence across the board -- KX News

• Port: Auditor Josh Gallion is using office to interfere in Williston School Board recall -- Fargo Forum

• Vehicle fatalities trending higher in first six months of 2023 than same period in 2022 -- Williston Herald

• Governor Burgum reaches donor threshold for debate stage; poll results still lacking -- Bismarck Tribune

• North Dakota Republican Party Chairwoman reacts to Governor Burgum's run for president -- KX News

• North Dakota governor criticizes Biden's energy policy and impact of electric vehicles -- EnergyPortal.eu

• New ND law to require use of turn signals when exiting roundabouts takes effect Aug 1 -- In Forum

• Another woman injured by bison at Theodore Roosevelt National Park: What to know -- Fox News

• City commissioners approve property realignment in Ray's Jordan Heights subdivision -- Tioga Tribune

• VisitWatfordCity.com gets new look, more features in massive overhaul -- McKenzie County Farmer

• Tioga Fund OKs two projects billed as expanding cultural, recreational opportunities -- Tioga Tribune

• Dunn County in mourning after officials confirm death of county employee Del Olson -- Dickinson Press

• Crosby, Ray see major sales revenue increases over last year in first quarter of 2023 -- The Journal

• Thousands will take over the Magic City for this year's North Dakota State Fair -- KFYR - TV

• Tioga-area entrepreneurs invited to apply for REV small business pitch competition -- Minot Daily News

• Staffing continues to be an issue with the Garrison Police Department -- Mclean County Independent

• Fire breaks out at oil well pad near edge of New Town; at least 2 people injured -- Bismarck Tribune

• Beulah City Council evaluates financials in hopes of getting budget on better trajectory -- The Beacon

• Tourists explore North Dakota's highest point and experience the thrill of White Butte -- Dickinson Press

• Unhealthy brown haze clouding region's skies ends after nearly a week -- Bowman County Pioneer

• North Dakota now offers digital wallets for high school student credentials -- Government Technology

• Baesler announces the four finalists for the 2024 North Dakota Teacher of the Year award -- KX News

• Divide County School Board votes to raise lunch, activity rates for 2023-24 school year -- The Journal

• ND becomes first state with federally funded school administrators apprenticeship program -- KX News

• Minot State literacy camp makes reading fun this summer; MSU students earning credits -- KFYR - TV

• Loan forgiveness plan would wipe out $100 million in North Dakota student debt -- The Center Square

• Hazen School Board reviews long-term substitute teacher pay, family engagement policy -- Hazen Star

• Petition audit of Williston Basin School District 7 to continue later this summer -- KFYR - TV

• Nobel Prize winner denounces alarmism: "I don't believe there is a climate crisis" -- Life Site News

• Biden administration proposes rule increasing fees for oil, gas development on public lands -- The Hill

• U.S. LNG projects face uncertainty as DOE toughens stance on exports -- Natural Gas Intelligence

• US House OKs provision to block Defense Dept. from implementing Biden climate orders -- E&E News

• EPA denies nearly all oil refiners' outstanding petitions seeking biofuel blending exemption -- Reuters

• US House, conservationists debate coal's long-term future on federal lands -- Wyoming Public Media

• Biden admin announces the first-ever sale of offshore wind leases in the Gulf of Mexico -- E&E News

• Endless expansion: how will China's coal investments affect its energy mix? -- Mining Technology

• Natural gas set to play long term role in global energy markets says IEA executive director -- Nasdaq

• World's top LNG players push for more, but greener, gas investments at industry conference -- Reuters

• Each new "green" job at Ford and GM will cost taxpayers as much as $7.7 million -- Robert Bryce

• Wary of 2022 crisis, governments across Asia to build strategic gas reserves -- Natural Gas World

• Stop oil and gas production? Lose 6000 products Americans cannot live without -- OK Energy Today

• Massive Gulf Coast oil caverns sit empty, leaving the US vulnerable to oil price shocks -- Bloomberg

• "NIMBY" may hurt Biden's green transition, property owners push back -- Institute for Energy Research

• Climate change did not cause recent record heat waves, no science behind claim -- Heartland Institute

• The Hill should look for actual scientific data; the weather is not getting worse -- Climate Realism