The U.S. Financial Improvement Administration has awarded $1 million to the North Dakota Division of Commerce by means of the federal company’s Statewide Planning program.
The aim is to boost the statewide attraction of companies, promote financial exercise, and entice and retain workforce, in response to Gov. Doug Burgum.
Commerce will start soliciting grant functions from North Dakota communities in the summertime.
Republican President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday he wants Chris Wright, a Colorado oil and gas executive who denies that the world faces a “climate crisis,” to serve the new administration as Department of Energy secretary.
Wright will also be a member of the Council of National Energy, the formation of which was announced Friday. Details on the council are scarce, but it’s widely viewed as a further indication that the Trump administration intends to boost domestic fossil fuel and other energy production.
“Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in a new ‘Golden Age of American Prosperity and Global Peace,’” a statement from the Trump transition team said.
Trump names North Dakota Gov. Burgum to combined Interior, energy role
The Energy Department oversees the nation’s nuclear infrastructure and energy policy. Wright, who grew up and still lives in Colorado, is the founder, CEO, and board chair of Liberty Energy, based in Denver.
Last year in a video he posted to LinkedIn, Wright dismissed phrases such as “climate crisis,” “energy transition” and “clean energy” as “alarmist, deceptive marketing terms.” He acknowledged that global warming has occurred, but he chafed at its characterization as a crisis.
“The only thing resembling a crisis with respect to climate change is the regressive, opportunity-squelching policies justified in the name of climate change,” he said in the video.
He suggested that any warming attributable to the burning of fossil fuels is worth the benefits, such as “wealth, health and opportunity,” that fossil fuel energy brings.
He spread misinformation in the video.
“We have seen no increase in the frequency or intensity of hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts or floods despite endless fearmongering of the media, politicians and activists. This is not my opinion. This is the facts as contained in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports,” he said.
IPCC reports actually say the opposite.
“Evidence of observed changes in extremes such as heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts, and tropical cyclones, and, in particular, their attribution to human influence, has further strengthened since (the previous report cycle),” the IPCC’s 2023 “synthesis” report says. “Human influence has likely increased the chance of compound extreme events since the 1950s, including increases in the frequency of concurrent heatwaves and droughts.”
Wright’s views directly contradict the Energy Department’s climate change mission under Democratic President Joe Biden.
“There is no greater challenge facing our nation and our planet than the climate crisis,” the department’s website says.
Wright’s nomination is one of several made by Trump — such as that of former Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to be attorney general and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Health and Human Services — that appear intentionally disruptive.
“Picking someone like Chris Wright is a clear sign that Trump wants to turn the U.S. into a pariah petrostate,” Jean Su, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s energy justice program, said in a statement. “He’s damning frontline communities and our planet to climate hell just to pad the already bloated pockets of fossil fuel tycoons.”
Biden’s Department of Energy secretary is Jennifer Granholm, former Democratic Michigan governor.
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Top-ranked North Dakota St. has clinched at least a share of the MVFC title following a blowout victory against Missouri St. Saturday, a 59-21 drubbing of the Bears.
NDSU can win the crown outright next week at South Dakota after taking a share of the championship for the first time since 2021.
For the Bison, a share of the MVFC title is certainly not enough.
“I’m not interested in sharing anything,” Head Coach Tim Polasek said. “Our minds got to get right at about 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. With treatment, this game plan better be starting to move forward, be typed, because this defense that South Dakota has is going to be a great challenge once again.”
“We don’t want to share it,” Quarterback Cam Miller said. “We want the conference title by ourselves and that’s the plan moving forward.”
The Bison came out firing for the Harvest Bowl and Senior Day, going up 21-0 by the end of the first quarter and taking a 28-0 lead at one point, eventually winning by 38 points.
A day after Sheyenne won a state championship in the Fargodome, former Mustang Barika Kpeenu brought the boom on the ground for a career-high 169 yards and two touchdowns. Marty Brown also dominated on the ground with 113 yards and a score.
The MVFC championship isn’t the only thing at stake Saturday, because a win in its top five matchup at USD can also likely lock up the top seed in the FCS Playoffs for the Bison. Kickoff next Saturday is at 1:00 p.m.
Copyright 2024 KVLY. All rights reserved.
The NFL is heading to Germany – and the country has fallen for American football
Ref needs glasses? Not anymore. Lasik company offers free procedures for referees
All-Free-Agent Team: Closers and corner outfielders aplenty, harder to fill up the middle
Herbert Smith Freehills to merge with US-based law firm Kramer Levin
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25724877/Super_Nintendo_World.png "The next Nintendo Direct is all about Super Nintendo World’s Donkey Kong Country")
The next Nintendo Direct is all about Super Nintendo World’s Donkey Kong Country
Column: OpenAI just scored a huge victory in a copyright case … or did it?
Bird flu leaves teen in critical condition after country's first reported case
Column: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
