Several interesting events have popped up in the news this past week indicating that North Dakota’s booming energy industry is facing a few quandries.

It began with the announcement that a planned ethanol plant near Jamestown has been put on hold.  An associated press article mentioned that another proposed plant near  Hankinson, ND has also been put on hold, and an ethanol plant near Grafton suspended operations last year. 

Another article mentions that a planned wind farm could be covering up acres of potential coal mining area in Oliver and Morton counties.  Still another one mentions a housing crisis in Tioga, which is experiencing strong growth because of new drilling in the Bakken oil shale area.

These are all issues North Dakota will have to work through as the energy industry expands.  According to an editorial in Minot Daily News, the recent creation of EmPower North Dakota will go a long way toward helping the state meet its lofty energy production goals.

The next few years should be very interesting.