Geoff Simon's Quick Connects -- December 20, 2024

• Summit pipeline opponents receive cease and desist letters -- North Dakota Monitor

• Tribal Energy Access Corridor designation to potentially move forward -- KX News

• Revival ahead for once-stalled solar power projects in ND, MN -- Dickinson Press

• Montana 'stands ready' to help Trump admin expand energy production -- E&E News

• State lands, mineral rights generate historic distributions for North Dakota education -- Dickinson Press

• Senator Cramer vouches for Burgum as governor prepares for cabinet nomination hearing -- KFYR - TV

• More GOP states sign on to oppose Standing Rock Sioux in new DAPL lawsuit -- North Dakota Monitor

• 1K barrel produced water spill reported in McKenzie County from a pipe fitting leak -- Dickinson Press

• Montana Supreme Court affirms decision in Held, historic youth climate case -- Daily Montanan

• Armstrong says property taxes a priority; new governor holds first Cabinet meeting -- Bismarck Tribune

• North Dakota lawmakers gearing up for more school choice legislation in 2025 -- Grand Forks Herald

• Nonprofit to hold 60 minute legislative advocacy virtual training for North Dakotans -- Dickinson Press

• Burgum staff were briefed on Badlands monument plan he called a 'surprise' -- North Dakota Monitor

• Shawn Kessel announces he will not be retained in Armstrong administration on LinkedIn -- KFYR - TV

• North Dakota judge Daniel Hovland blasts Biden for setting fraudsters free -- North Dakota Monitor

• Impactful clipper system brings snow and strong winds across much of North Dakota -- KFYR - TV

• District 2 legislators discuss key issues and priorities for upcoming legislative session -- The Journal

• Williston police chief placed on leave due to investigation into internal grievances -- Williston Herald

• CPKC Holiday Train returns to the Magic City along with Carrington, Harvey and Kenmare -- KFYR - TV

• Rep. Bill Tveit outlines committee assignments, invites participation in upcoming session -- Hazen Star

• Minot AFB to benefit from funding in 2025 National Defense Authorization Act -- Minot Daily News

• Minot Public Schools leadership weighs options for addressing facility improvements -- KFYR - TV

• Dickinson State opens formal search for next president; aims to appoint by July 2025 -- Dickinson Press

• Doug Jensen out January 2 as BSC president, no explanation provided -- North Dakota Monitor

• Divide County moves forward with virtual learning; policy aims to avoid makeup days -- The Journal

• Twelve North Dakotans apply for two openings on state Board of Higher Education -- KX News

• Dickinson State expands with on-site Bachelor's degrees at Williston State College -- Dickinson Press

• Hazen School Board considers fresh attempt at district's administrative structure -- Hazen Star

• Devon Energy donates over $42,000 to support Dickinson community programs -- Dickinson Press

• Advocates for free school lunch call on legislature to prioritize permanent meal funding -- KNOX Radio

• Hess Corp. donates toy trucks to schools across North Dakota for STEM education -- Minot Daily News

• Mountains of unused coal causing financial headaches for US power sector finds new report -- The Hill

• China's thermal power generation up 1.9% in Jan-Nov of this year despite renewables growth -- Reuters

• About half of US at increased risk of power shortfall in the next decade, regulator says -- Reuters

• United States will remain world's largest LNG exporter in 2024 as shipments hit record high -- Oil Price

• Chris Wright is poised to retore U.S. energy dominance at Department of Energy -- RealClearEnergy

• Trump's transition team lands at Energy Department headquarters to meet with leaders -- E&E News

• This is how Donald Trump will put an end to the climate-crazed energy policies of the left -- Newsmax

• Biden throws up another last-minute roadblock to Trump's energy dominance agenda -- Daily Caller

• Federal watchdog calls for emergency halt to Biden's $400B "green" energy slush fund -- Free Beacon

• Energy predictions: Reliable and affordable, people will pay less under Trump -- RealClearEnergy

• Global coal demand has surged to another record high this year according to IEA -- Oil Price

• Biden's EPA grants California permission to ban new gasoline vehicle sales by 2035 -- Fox News

• U.S. shale is nearing the limit of its productivity gains, natural reservoir depletion -- Oilprice.com

• EPA must uphold common sense sustainability in misguided California decision -- RealClearEnergy

• "Everyone's demoralized." Trump's climate threats rattle world's biggest science meeting -- Politico

• Osage Tribe wins again, Oklahoma federal judge orders "ejectment" of 84 wind turbines -- Robert Bryce

• 2024 global coal consumption will be a new record, IEA predicts growth will plateau in 2027 -- IEA

• Unreliability of global temperature and solar activity, and implications for global warming -- Heritage

Geoff Simon's Quick Connects -- December 13, 2024

• North Dakota energy outlook poised for growth, says Comm. Joel Brown -- WZFG

• Maah Daah Hey monument a blatant effort to restrict development -- Dickinson Press

• Massive, energy consuming data centers eyeing SD -- South Dakota Searchlight

• Julie Fedorchak named to Energy and Commerce Committee -- Bismarck Tribune

• Greenpeace seeks court permission to research mailer critical of DAPL protests -- North Dakota Monitor

• Field study exploring lithium-infused oilfield brine announced in North Dakota's Bakken -- Morningstar

• North Dakota regulators hear case for pipeline built without initial state utility permit -- Bismarck Tribune

• Burgum meets with senators ahead of confirmation; Hoeven helping him arrange meetings -- E&E News

• Arrow Pipeline settles with EPA for $450K for air quality violations on Fort Berthold -- Bismarck Tribune

• Grand Forks seeks Operation Prairie Dog funding changes as session nears -- Grand Forks Herald

• Burgum discusses cabinet nomination in final interview before leaving governor's office -- KFYR - TV

• Former North Dakota banking regulator Tim Karsky to be securities commissioner -- Bismarck Tribune

• Key observers weighing in on progress made to improve North Dakota childcare -- Minot Daily News

• North Dakota Workforce Development Council has released its 2024 recommendations -- KX News

• North Dakota hires new consulting firm NEPC to oversee $23 billion in investments -- Dickinson Press

• Lawmakers slam North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund over audit findings -- North Dakota Monitor

• Armstrong appoints Dirk Wilke as interim Health and Human Services director -- North Dakota Monitor

• Applications for $500 primary residence credit for North Dakota residents open for 2025 -- KFYR - TV

• Work on the TRNP Scenic Loop Drive stops for the winter with finish line in sight -- Dickinson Press

• Study ranked Dickinson as one of the most cost-effective locations among ND cities -- Dickinson Press

• McKenzie County Commission accepted the resignation of State's Attorney Ty Skarda -- KFYR - TV

• Lawsuits over Badlands bridge paused as Billings County votes to negotiate -- Bismarck Tribune

• McKenzie County deputies seek information on individual who damaged weather station -- KFYR - TV

• Success of small towns comes from positive people and things; infrastructure a key -- The Journal

• Arnegard State Representative Olson appointed Majority Caucus Leader -- McKenzie County Farmer

• Data center requests annexation into Ellendale; would increase tax revenue -- North Dakota Monitor

• Senator Hoeven inspires future leaders during Q&A at NDASC annual state conference -- KX News

• Higher ed board undertakes painstaking process of updating tenure policies -- North Dakota Monitor

• South Dakota adding civics requirement in public universities. govt, politics & history -- Dakota Scout

• University of North Dakota law school aims to avoid deficit by raising tuition -- Grand Forks Herald

• South Dakota school superintendent: 'Extreme behavior' from students on the rise -- Siouxland Proud

• Williston School Board to meet next week for next steps for finding new superintendent -- KFYR - TV

• Four North Dakota students nominated by Rep. Kelly Armstrong for US service academies -- KX News

• Former Sen. Nicole Poolman will deliver UND commencement address Dec. 20 -- Grand Forks Herald

• Students learn practical skills for future jobs at the State Student Council Convention -- KFYR - TV

• EPA CO2 capture mandate challenged by GOP, industry as "unachievable" -- Washington Examiner

• 5 ways Trump could overturn several of Biden's climate agenda when he assumes office -- Fox News

• US average price of gas has fallen below $3 per gallon for first time in more than 3.5 years -- Oil Price

• Under Trump's administration, an 'all of the above' energy policy is poised for a comeback -- NPR

• Trump's energy secretary pick Chris Wright preaches benefits of climate change -- Wall Street Journal

• Interior to auction 400,000 acres in ANWR to meet federal leasing requirement -- Washington Examiner

• Devon Energy CEO plans to retire in March; here's who will lead the company -- The Oklahoman

• New Mexico's oil income investments now surpass personal income tax revenue -- Minot Daily News

• EIA forecasts US power use will rise to record highs in 2024 and 2025; AI drives demand -- Reuters

• US weighs new Russia oil sanctions to weaken Putin ahead of Trump, Bloomberg reports -- Reuters

• Hefty US thermal coal exports look set to keep climbing in 2025 after hitting six year high -- Reuters

• Republicans demand to see science behind DOE ban on natural gas exports -- The Center Square

• Biden's Defense Dept. doubles down on climate as Trump promises military reset -- American Thinker

• Lameduck Biden officials race to fund "green" buses before Donald Trump's return -- Daily Caller