Search Results for keywords:"North Dakota"

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given full approval to North Dakota's revised and recodified operating permit program, which issues permits to major stationary sources of air pollution under the Clean Air Act. Previously, the program had an interim approval because certain legal provisions regarding judicial review were not aligned with federal requirements. After North Dakota made the necessary legal adjustments, including revising state laws and updating the Attorney General's Opinion, the program now meets all federal standards. This approval is considered non-controversial, and unless adverse comments are received by March 26, 2021, it will become effective on April 26, 2021.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security, has updated its previous disaster declaration for North Dakota that was initially made on April 1, 2020. This update, effective January 20, 2021, assigns Nancy J. Dragani as the new Federal Coordinating Officer, replacing Lee K. dePalo. Several Federal Domestic Assistance programs are associated with this disaster declaration, providing support such as community disaster loans and housing assistance for individuals. The notice was issued by Robert J. Fenton, the Senior Official performing duties for FEMA's Administrator.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) and Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for North Dakota, which goes into effect immediately as of January 8, 2025. This plan guides the management of public lands in North Dakota over the next 15 to 20 years, including about 58,500 acres of surface land and 4.1 million acres of mineral estate. It updates previous management decisions involving land use and resources like mineral leasing. After considering public feedback and consulting with various stakeholders and government entities, the BLM decided to implement Alternative D as the final plan.

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced a major disaster declaration for the state of North Dakota, allowing Public Assistance for areas affected by wildfires and straight-line winds on October 5-6, 2024. This declaration, issued on December 24, 2024, enables Private Non-Profit organizations providing essential services to apply for disaster loans through the MySBA Loan Portal. Affected primary counties include McKenzie and Williams, with specific deadlines for loan applications noted. The disaster assistance contact details are provided for further support.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a final rule to establish Class E airspace at Mott Municipal Airport in Mott, North Dakota. This rule aims to support new public instrument procedures and facilitate instrument flight rule (IFR) operations. It becomes effective on June 12, 2025, and includes a correction to a typographic error noted in a prior document regarding the location name. The rule is considered a routine update of technical regulations with no significant economic or environmental impact anticipated.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided to partially approve and partially disapprove parts of North Dakota's regional haze plan (SIP) for its second implementation period. This decision was made because certain aspects of the plan, such as its long-term strategy and goals for reasonable progress, did not meet the necessary requirements under the Clean Air Act. Specifically, North Dakota relied on visibility thresholds that the EPA found unreasonable, which led to rejecting feasible and cost-effective controls on pollution sources like Coyote Station and Antelope Valley. However, other elements of the plan, such as calculations of visibility conditions and monitoring strategies, were approved.

Dakota Northern Railroad, Inc. (DN), a small Class III railroad, plans to lease and operate two rail lines from BNSF Railway Company in North Dakota. The rail lines extend 59.84 miles near Grafton, Walhalla, and St. Thomas, ND. DN is continuing an existing lease and expects to finalize the new lease terms before the current one expires on January 31, 2021, without any interchange commitments. The Surface Transportation Board notes that the transaction may proceed from January 29, 2021, and it won't lead to DN becoming a larger Class I or II rail carrier.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing full approval of North Dakota's revised operating permit program for facilities that fall under title V of the Clean Air Act. The proposed approval follows North Dakota's amendments to its program to meet federal compliance requirements, which were previously not fully approvable due to issues with state judicial review laws. Comments on this proposal are due by March 26, 2021. If there are no negative comments, the EPA will proceed with a final ruling; otherwise, further action will address any concerns raised.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has amended a previous declaration of a major disaster for the State of North Dakota, focusing on Public Assistance only. Initially issued on July 9, 2020, due to flooding between April 1 and April 25, 2020, the amendment now includes Kidder and Wells counties as areas affected by the disaster. The deadline for physical loan applications was September 8, 2020, and applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are due by April 9, 2021. All other details in the original declaration remain unchanged.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued an amendment to the major disaster declaration for North Dakota initially declared by the President on July 9, 2020. This update, issued on December 18, 2020, adds Kidder and Wells Counties to the list of areas eligible for federal disaster assistance. These areas are now entitled to receive aid for public assistance programs. The announcement includes various Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers applicable for disaster support funding.