[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6119133,"mediaKeyId","2714086-0b122ffd4774bdc83c92dc7f29a045ef","parentId",2714086,"title","Committee backs resolution urging federal protections for Theodore Roosevelt National Park wild horses","audioSeconds",1804,"startMs",10586000,"endMs",12390000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2714086-0b122ffd4774bdc83c92dc7f29a045ef&start=10586&end=12390","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2714086-0b122ffd4774bdc83c92dc7f29a045ef/thumbnail_10586000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6119133/North-Dakota/Committee-backs-resolution-urging-federal-protections-for-Theodore-Roosevelt-National-Park-wild-horses","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6119133-a6a1e881f9e4b7942851b3141cb1cc14/orig.mp4?Expires=1771203206&Signature=U435rGPkiT0~PxVVlcTpA7KXfLsr5g7O7hHkTKJi4h7NRF7~M6bFRQ~2MVP9isdGKgEJFIH5cZ9L67Q2YU~mm40sFZLMwZcy0Rn5hcfAeTqwVeQzAUk0QMaRWss~W-47rweL2x4clu8OQdus5badqp5l1IAjErImtY769oqPGh837zVo~GG2ifFXwYT7gUmDcGDGmhMModZDYxEKpcHjOLT0TByK93dT7cKWyHOq42jF65WSQtOolJRSFCHbjpGBbjlyt8H3US~9CwffXdCC-UHv5MOFYgoWKsWlETqaV7VfLJykaqxGcxbHAoYY-tS-i7vxpupWynl9WQVvjE0mZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota State Legislature","date","2025-03-20T00:00:00Z","article","The House Agriculture Committee voted to recommend Senate Concurrent Resolution 4,006, which urges Congress to establish federal protections for the wild horse herd at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, following multiple hours of testimony from advocates, local residents and scientists.

Sen. Josh Boushey introduced the resolution, saying it would ask Congress to provide a special designation and protections to preserve the herd in place. \"Our goal is to pass this resolution so that the advocates, when they go out and visit with these folks in D.C., can share this resolution,\" Boushey said, citing the need for federal action to make any protection lasting.

Supporters said the herd has cultural and economic value and raised concerns about recent park management actions. Christine Kamann of Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates told the committee the herd \"drives tourism within our state\" and estimated the horses bring at least $37 million to North Dakota’s economy annually. She and other witnesses described helicopter roundups, use of the fertility-control drug GonaCon and GPS collars as part of recent management actions that alarm the public.

Longtime local witness Frank Kuntz recounted the herd’s history and described changes he said weakened the herd's genetic and cultural integrity. Biologist Dr. Birgit Puss testified she has photographed the herd extensively and expressed concern about reproductive viability after repeated use of contraception in the herd: \"For me as a biologist ... the herd is at risk of dying out just because there's no more reproduction.\"

Support also came from documentary filmmakers and national advocates who said federal protection would help avoid repeated management changes and preserve the herd’s role in the park’s visitor experience. Witnesses noted the state legislature and several local governments previously passed supportive resolutions; supporters asked the House committee to add the state’s voice to federal advocacy.

Opposition was limited in the record; committee members nonetheless asked about management jurisdiction and precedent. Members also referenced past committee action: the Legislature passed a nonbinding resolution in 2023 asking park management to halt removals. Those earlier actions and broad public interest contributed to committee support for the new resolution.

Representative Dwight moved a due-pass recommendation and asked that the resolution be placed on the consent calendar; Representative Freiberg seconded. The clerk called the roll and the motion passed with a recorded tally of 11 yes, 1 no, and 2 not voting. Representative White was noted as the carrier. The committee recorded the motion as passed and placed SCR 4,006 for further processing with a do-pass recommendation.

Ending — The committee’s recommendation adds the House Agriculture Committee’s official support for federal action to protect the Theodore Roosevelt National Park wild-horse herd; the resolution will be transmitted to federal contacts and to the full House for concurrence, providing advocates a legislative document to show to congressional offices.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Agriculture Thursday, Mar 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","After testimony from local advocates, historians and scientists, the House Agriculture Committee recommended a due-pass and consent-calendar placement for SCR 4,006, which asks Congress to provide federal protections for the Theodore Roosevelt National Park wild horse herd; the committee’s roll-call showed the motion passed 11-1-2.","taxTitle","Agriculture, House of Representatives, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28885,"location","North Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6119138,"Committee hears landowners' push to allow termination of historic Fish and Wildlife perpetual easements",812,7208000,8020000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2714086-0b122ffd4774bdc83c92dc7f29a045ef&start=7208&end=8020","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2714086-0b122ffd4774bdc83c92dc7f29a045ef/thumbnail_7208000.jpg","/articles/6119138/North-Dakota/Committee-hears-landowners-push-to-allow-termination-of-historic-Fish-and-Wildlife-perpetual-easements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6119138-2c34754b35560553ce354f3358678b7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771203206&Signature=XbaErIMBBvIrQoegcoCgUkfiAI2YRBJGvsunuNyjz-CJYEss7c5qmfSh2PPVqcNa-xBkMrjJiqJm7dWq3BwsJmCwIVD4LpMvxJ556xHcaVHDtoteCNx8rnHrndV1a3XSp~c-yv9rYxhry~JA3aq2DpYp0~yzM0x1zpkrRtZ3kDtwUzrRqke2bxL6vLNEkrfnAbal6hlm0imvgBYvRMy3ynKwp1weIvvUlqSnjMBkXHOG3eJYqxHxHCKy-M~cO8nQqtCvG4yFmwhO050shpt38deM7hBXXjJ~HMZXIzh~ppxIhgNE~eT9cj2S3r~7s1ZHrWF5nLcZW7lOKdl3R9x6~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Concurrent Resolution 4,002, which would urge Congress to allow landowners to terminate perpetual easements held by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in North Dakota, drew long testimony on property rights, conservation and legal precedent but the committee did not vote and deferred further action.

Sen. Cole Conley introduced the resolution and described instances where families accepted small one-time payments decades ago in return for easements that, he said, remain in perpetuity and limit agricultural activity. \"You will notice that my relatives received a one-time payment of $680 in 1970,\" Conley said, describing his motivation to seek an option to reclaim flexibility on affected land.

Ranching and farm organizations supported the measure as a private-property-rights fix. Julie Ellingson of the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association told members perpetual easements \"often rob future generations of their property rights and their ability to make the best management decisions for those parcels.\" Lance Scabey of the North Dakota Farmers Union testified that the union’s policy calls for renegotiation of wildlife easements every 15 years upon ownership changes and said Fish and Wildlife Service easements are an exception to state practice limiting perpetual instruments.

Commodity groups also backed federal reconsideration. Dan Wagsland of the North Dakota Grain Growers and Pete Hanover of North Dakota Farm Bureau both asked the committee to advance the resolution so Congress could reconsider older, perpetual easements.

Opponents and cautions came from legal and conservation perspectives. Bismarck attorney Paul Meyer warned the committee that allowing termination of easements by landowners would set a precedent that could invite challenges to other kinds of easements, such as road, pipeline, wind and solar easements, and create legal uncertainty for title and for industries that rely on long-term easements. \"The problem that I see from a legal standpoint is the bad precedent,\" Meyer said.

Conservation groups echoed concerns. Zach Cassidy of Dakota Resource Council said the easements function as contracts and warned that letting owners unilaterally exit those contracts could harm conservation on private lands. Cassidy noted the resolution’s repayment mechanism — returning the original payment amount in some versions — would be far below current market value and represent poor taxpayer value if the federal government were to repurchase interests.

Committee members asked practical and legal questions about how many acres were affected, whether some easements overlap with NRCS wetlands and whether there is an existing legal remedy to challenge historical easements. Senator Conley said some easements were “less than 5 acres” in examples he provided and acknowledged that outcomes vary depending on when the easement was granted. An attorney testifying noted the state statute (cited as North Dakota Century Code 47-05-02.1) limits certain perpetual easements after 1977 but that older federal easements predate the state limitation and have been the subject of prior legal review.

The committee discussed procedural options, including referring the resolution to appropriations for review and placing it on the consent calendar, but ultimately postponed formal committee action until the afternoon session to allow members additional time to review testimony and staff materials. Representative Novovich proposed re-referral to appropriations but later agreed to hold the item until later in the day.

Ending — Committee members pledged to study testimony and legal background before acting. Backers asked for a route to restore management flexibility to landowners who feel constrained by decades-old easements; opponents urged caution, citing contract law and potential unintended impacts on infrastructure and conservation programs.","Landowners, farm groups and commodity organizations told the House Agriculture Committee they support asking Congress to permit buyouts or termination of long-standing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service perpetual easements; conservation groups and attorneys cautioned against broad cancellation and warned of legal and practical consequences.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6119143,"House Ag Committee advances study bill on geothermal energy after technical testimony",2132,2044000,4176000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2714086-0b122ffd4774bdc83c92dc7f29a045ef&start=2044&end=4176","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2714086-0b122ffd4774bdc83c92dc7f29a045ef/thumbnail_2044000.jpg","/articles/6119143/North-Dakota/House-Ag-Committee-advances-study-bill-on-geothermal-energy-after-technical-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6119143-521ce3281181014fd27f22ffcbec1744/orig.mp4?Expires=1771203206&Signature=mJ~oUNvMoggrMhsRSZW7j5NXEE8WOKO1kn8qVfzoI~w1SzKdgrut5~-L5m0nZRSxWM4mKxeG4SW4W1OhGzCOVMQ63ECvUASaZ8Ly1V100M7p-3NMg4YA2uiVb-ES3MnVqQCVHmXh9OuGmeP2jYCrROBwCLEH~vzScGMG1m5fri0y6FFupSD358rpQTIrilV7TqeOlvgRPCp1As2vHJy8eKnAQ7qfLNrLipcN~MTbk5MhLgClYTFH3sExkeythFtKn9FHVmWpcVpUkj5jAXLGyluHyxSj536aliIkgklJVbbbojAaqoQaFYkb--KPqLWMuNKgJMkeeCGr2AV4Oy~Ctw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 23-60, which would establish a legislative management study on geothermal energy, received a do-pass recommendation from the House Agriculture Committee after hearings featuring state geologists, energy developers and agriculture advocates.

The bill, introduced in the committee by Sen. Jim Hogan, would direct legislative study of whether and how North Dakota could develop geothermal resources. \"Senate Bill 23 60 is a bill that I was asked to introduce by a constituent who's here today,\" Hogan said, describing the measure as a \"shall consider study resolution\" intended to examine geothermal's potential.

Supporters told the committee North Dakota has geological advantages for deep geothermal development and that repurposing inactive oil and gas wells could lower costs. Paul Jensen, a Fargo small-business owner testifying in favor, told the committee the bill \"aims to pave the road for industries interested in and engaged in leveraging geothermal energy with existing power generators and to feed power data centers in addition to boosting agricultural productivity.\" Jensen and others asserted that repurposed wells could produce 2–5 megawatts each and that converting a fraction of inactive wells could yield gigawatts of capacity.

Technical witnesses described existing state data and nearby projects. Ned Krueger of the North Dakota Geological Survey said the agency has logged high temperatures in Williston Basin formations and noted the NDGS issued a new administrative-code chapter on geothermal in 2020. Krueger described a Canadian project near the U.S. border with measured water temperatures in the 200s Fahrenheit and plans for phased construction to produce 5 to 25 megawatts.

Representatives of utilities and industry backed the study. Dennis Pathroff, representing Power Companies of North Dakota, said member utilities \"are committed to exploring all forms of energy production, including geothermal,\" and offered company expertise for a state study. Jessica Eagle Bluestone of Geothermal Rising estimated a 10-megawatt plant could cost \"just shy of, like, a hundred million dollars\" today but predicted costs would decline with more in-state experience. Monessa Alamouti, a North Dakota startup CEO with a PhD in geophysics, urged inclusion of agricultural applications, noting geothermal-heated greenhouses and direct-heat processing can substantially reduce energy costs.

Committee members asked about infrastructure, plugs in abandoned wells, and interactions with other subsurface uses. Jensen and Krueger said many wells could be reentered or augmented, and that geothermal generation could help stabilize variable wind and solar output on the grid. Witnesses identified federal funding programs and research initiatives—including the DOE’s enhanced geothermal initiatives and Wells of Opportunity funding—that could support early projects.

After questions, Representative Goveridge moved a do-pass recommendation and Representative Hoberson seconded. The clerk called the roll and the motion passed; the committee recorded that the bill will proceed with a do-pass recommendation for further legislative management study (the roll-call breakdown was not specified in the committee transcript).

If enacted, the study would invite technical testimony and assess economic, agricultural and grid-integration issues. Committee members noted the study is strictly informational: it would solicit experts and produce recommendations for future legislative or funding action.

Supporters asked the committee to include agricultural uses, greenhouse heating and value-added processing in the study scope. Witnesses recommended the study evaluate repurposing of inactive wells, required drilling and surface infrastructure, transmission injection points and workforce readiness.

The measure now moves through the legislature with a do-pass committee recommendation; the study—if scheduled by legislative management—would return findings to the Legislature for further consideration.

Ending — The committee’s recorded action advances an informational study rather than funding a specific project. Proponents said the study will help the state assess whether geothermal could provide stable generation and new agricultural and economic opportunities for rural North Dakota.","The House Agriculture Committee voted to give Senate Bill 23-60 a “do pass” recommendation to request a legislative management study of geothermal energy in North Dakota after testimony from industry, state geologists and developers about resource potential and agricultural uses.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee backs resolution urging federal protections for Theodore Roosevelt National Park wild horses

Committee hears landowners' push to allow termination of historic Fish and Wildlife perpetual easements

House Ag Committee advances study bill on geothermal energy after technical testimony