‘Burgum rejects EV plan’

A new electric vehicle charging station is now available in Bismarck, North Dakota, ready for use. Governor Doug Burgum expressed skepticism about the use of electric vehicles in the state as the Industrial Commission decided not to provide funding for a regional plan for EV infrastructure.

The commission was requested to allocate 5,000 from the Renewable Energy Fund for the Regional Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Resiliency Plan, proposed by the Energy and Environmental Resource Center at the University of North Dakota. This plan is a collaboration among North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, and South Dakota to address the challenges of developing reliable EV infrastructure in the region.

The commission deferred the decision to fund the plan to gather more information on the financial contributions of the other states involved. The overall cost of the plan is .875 million, partially funded by the federal Department of Energy and Department of Transportation.

Governor Burgum raised concerns about the federal incentives promoting EV use, while policies are impacting baseload power providers like coal-fired power plants in North Dakota. He predicted potential energy shortages in the future due to these conflicting policies.

North Dakota’s Department of Transportation has its own EV infrastructure program, receiving substantial federal funding. Additionally, the commission approved a permit for XTO Energy to conduct tests on enhanced oil recovery techniques, highlighting the importance of extending the life of North Dakota’s oil fields.

Overall, Governor Burgum’s reservations about EV infrastructure in North Dakota reflect larger concerns about the balance between renewable energy initiatives and traditional power sources in the state.