In the race for pipeline capacity to accommodate the increased production oil-sands operations out of Alberta, there is a North Dakota State Representative with a unique perspective. Representative Darrell D. Nottestad (District 43, Grand Forks) has TransCanada’s Keystone pipeline running through his boyhood home– property that has been in his family since his Swedish immigrant ancestors settled there in 1885.
TransCanada has been working to complete the first phase of Keystone in late 2009, with the expansion completed in 2010. When asked about the outreach TransCanada provided to state and public officials, Rep. Nottestad said the company had been in contact with and very inviting to all of the state officials, despite mainly interacting with the Public Service Commission. The legislator’s concerns were never brushed aside; Rep. Nottestad noted, “When it comes to the state and public officials TransCanada has really been top-notch.”
The relationship and cooperation between Rep. Nottestad and TransCanada as a legislator and as a concerned landowner were no different. Instead of having him come to their offices to look over aerial maps of the area, TransCanada came to him. They were able to walk the land while discussing the impact the pipeline would have. Following discussions over a breakfast, Rep. Nottestad and the company made their agreements.
Representing the interests of those in his district as well as his personal interests, Rep. Nottestad had concerns about reclamation issues. He said one of the best things TransCanada agreed to when they replaced the top soil was to plant his choice of seed. A vital consideration for farmers in the negotiation process is the condition of their land at the end of the pipeline construction project. Rep. Nottestad will more than likely have alfalfa grass planted on his section of the line, for when deer season rolls around.
Rep. Nottestad agreed with the necessity of the pipeline out of national interest from the onset, and that feeling did not change when he found out it would be affecting his life and his land. This sentiment appears to be shared within the community he represents in District 43 as well. He said the community was surprised to hear about the line coming through because the original route was further east; however, it was rerouted to ensure the protection of an aquifer. Despite this, he said he “heard little or no complaints” from his neighbors and others, and the overall mood was one of understanding.
Despite the tight capacity for North Dakota to move production East, Nottestad explains that the Keystone line, carrying Canadian crude, is not a bone of contention for North Dakotans. While the proposed Keystone expansion line does extend from Saskatchewan across Montana, Rep. Nottestad observed that the proximity to Canada influenced the sentiments of the citizens of North Dakota in this case. “Living in the shadow of Canada, and being so close to Canada, Canada and North Dakota have been friends forever. So when crude is coming from Alberta its not a big deal, it is coming from a friend. Alberta is a lot like North Dakota in many ways. Alberta is conservative and North Dakota is a conservative state.” He went on to give an example that if individuals in his area of Grand Forks wanted to go to a big city they would go to Winnipeg, approximately 150 miles away, rather than Minneapolis, which is over 300 miles away. This way of thinking among North Dakotans lessens any possible animosity over the pipeline, and he noted that it makes it easier for him as a legislator because there is no public outcry about a pipeline filled with “foreign” oil.
