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Endorsements
Governor Kelly Armstrong, Senator John Hoeven, Senator Kevin Cramer, Representative Julie Fedorchak, Regulators Roundtable PAC
Campaign Phone Number
(701)581-7340
North Dakota’s role in national energy security, dependable utilities, and strong agricultural and industrial sectors depends on stable, common-sense regulation. I’m running to build on the progress we’ve made — defending affordable, reliable energy, ensuring fair utility practices, and maintaining strong oversight of critical infrastructure that supports our families, farms, and businesses while balancing the needs of landowners and citizens of North Dakota.
Infrastructure supports our daily lives, the economy of the state, and enables jobs for our families. It is critical that this is developed in an orderly way that protects the environment and citizens while balancing the rights of landowners to preserve or profit from their land. I review the unique facts and circumstances of each case, listen to citizen concerns at hearings, and apply the laws and rules set by the legislature in a fair and impartial manner.
Data centers are an opportunity for North Dakota but need to be developed in a responsible way that protects the grid and current ratepayers. If rate regulated by the PSC, I would use my accounting and economics background to ensure current ratepayers are protected from data center costs. This can (and has) provided benefits for existing customers through lower rates and system upgrades. Infrastructure development that falls under PSC siting jurisdiction would face a through review.
Our utilities provide a vital service, but their costs need to be closely scrutinized to ensure fair and reasonable rates. Having reliable service at low rates is a benefit to everyone including consumers and businesses. Thanks to the effective regulation of the PSC, North Dakota currently has the lowest electric rates in the nation.
The PSC siting process is designed by the legislature to provide a transparent and rigorous review of any project. The public is notified any time the Commission discusses a proposed project, hearings are open for the public to attend and often broadcast live, and recordings are published for review once the meeting is concluded. We also travel to communities affected by the proposed project to hear directly from citizens in every case.
Endorsements
United Republican Committee Cass County
Campaign Phone Number
7012209278
For too long we have had a series of appointed commissioners whose views are heavily influenced by those who appointed them and their big donors. This is crib capitalism by definition. I am running to protect our land from being ruined by short lived, short sighted, taxpayer subsidized industrial/tech projects. To protect the rights and wellbeing of our citizens. To keep ratepayers from paying excessive utility rates.
Landowners have a right to determine who and what is on their land. Their land is their family's legacy, heritage, and the one resource that keeps us all from starving. I like industry, industry has provided my family with a good living. I'm all for industrial projects, but they have to show a clear benefit to our state, the good has to outweigh the costs to move forward. We have gotten too comfortable with with the implementation of eminent domain, and we need to rein that power in.
Step 1: At the start of the 70th legislative assembly, the energy committee assigned investigating the impacts and effects of data centers will reveal their findings.
Step 2: The legislature needs to come up with standards and oversight, as well as regulation.
Step 3: If they choose to task the PSC with reviewing applications and enforcing regulations, I, as a commissioner would ensure all criteria would be met. I would reject any and all incomplete or vague applications.
I would return to the philosophy that the customer is always right. If a proposed utility rate increase appears to be unreasonably high, it should be promptly rejected, not met in the middle. The public service commission exists to serve the public, let's get back to that. At the end of the day, these companies serve the public as well, our people are not to be abused and price gouged.
I intend to be as available and approachable as possible. I would attend regular county commission meetings and provide feedback to concerned members of our state as to the facts of projects proposed or approved. The use of NDA's with regard to for profit projects is wrong. The folks living in the area near these projects have to live with the choices made by their county and state commissions; they deserve to know what is moving in next door.
