Scott Hennen Weighs in on North Dakota’s Energy Future
Flag Family Radio host Scott Hennen recently penned an op-ed for InForum that highlighted the realities of North Dakota’s energy production capacity and the benefits that the state’s natural resources can provide if protected and utilized correctly. However, Hennen points out that the state’s oil industry can be unpredictable. With North Dakota experiencing more extreme weather than other oil-heavy states, it faces its own unique challenges. Given these facts, it is important to prioritize investment and incentives for the state’s industry.
Historically, North Dakota’s oil industry has been financially beneficial on the county, local, and state level. It greatly contributes to the state’s economy, education system, and other public works. Hennen goes on to list some of the recent smart investments, including expanding the capacity of the Dakota Access Pipeline, formation of the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, investment of Legacy Fund earnings towards new, cutting-edge technologies, and leading efforts in carbon capture and utilization.
Bakken crude oil specifically contains immense amounts of benefits for the state and the U.S. as a whole, as Hennen writes: “If we succeed in making Bakken crude the cleanest barrel of oil in the world, our disadvantage in the marketplace will be greatly reduced. North Dakota agriculture would win big as well. We can’t change the weather here, but we can get every stakeholder active in an effort to find every new advantage possible.”