Opinion: North Dakota takes wrong approach to flaring issues

Flaring is a problem in North Dakota, and it is particularly acute on the reservation, but I’m not sure what the tribes are proposing is the right fix.

“Tribal leaders on the Fort Berthold reservation in the heart of North Dakota’s oil patch are proposing fees for companies that burn and waste natural gas,” reported the Associated Press. “The Three Affiliated Tribes outlined its plan to impose fees in a six-page document sent to oil companies. In it, the tribe said companies would be required to pay royalties for flaring natural gas to compensate for lost revenue when the gas isn’t brought to market and sold.”

According to the AP, the tribes are also proposing “annual rights-of-way and other charges for the companies” developing gas-capture infrastructure on the reservation.

Not only is the tribe proposing fees that would make energy development on the reservation more expensive – costing that historically impoverished community jobs and commerce – but they’re also proposing regulations which would make it harder for the oil and gas industry to address the flaring problem.