Ninth District Features by Topic

Natural Resources/Energy

Date	State	Title of Article
2007 November	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	Grid and bear it We all pay dearly when congestion chokes the electrical system. A resurgence of transmission investment in the district promises relief—if new lines actually get built.
2007 July	Minnesota Montana Wisconsin	Green at any price? Renewable-energy mandates raise lots of questions for electric utilities and consumers
2007 July	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	Builders see green Ninth District joins a growing trend in green construction.
2007 May	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota Wisconsin	Pipelines to feed the beast U.S. appetite for oil and Canada’s supply spur pipeline projects.
2007 January	Minnesota Montana U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	Not out of the woods yet The consequences of commercial timberland sales may not be as dire as some fear.
2006 September	Minnesota North Dakota South Dakota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	Amber waves of biodiesel Though growing, renewable fuel isn’t likely to help save rural economies or kick an oil habit.
2006 May	Minnesota North Dakota South Dakota	Taking the shears to fuel costs District businesses are turning to hedging as a way to cope with higher, more volatile energy prices.
2006 January	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota Wisconsin	Molding a new industry Recent oil pressures have threatened the recovery of the district's plastics industry, but firms can cope by adapting.
2005 November	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota	Fickle like the wind Wind farming is booming again in the district, but the industry remains dependent on federal subsidy.
2005 September	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	Focus: Water Infrastructure Pipe dreams The district is awash in expensive projects to bring water to sparsely populated areas. Are they worth it? Paying the piper Somebody has to pony up billions of dollars to upgrade drinking water and sewer systems throughout the district
2005 September	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota Wisconsin	Lighting up Big Sky, dereg style Electricity deregulation comes to Montana—so far, to the cheers of some and the chagrin of many
2005 September	Montana North Dakota South Dakota	Black gold rush High oil prices have brought happy days to the oil-producing parts of the district
2004 September	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	The new coal rush Rising energy needs and relaxed regulations fuel a resurgence.
2003 July	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	Focus: Water Economics Water Wars Markets hold promise for resolving disputes over water use. But the intricate economics—and persistent politics—of water suggest that governments will remain part of the picture.
2003 July	Minnesota North Dakota South Dakota Wisconsin	Gentlemen, start your ethanol engines Thanks to government-induced demand, ethanol production is on the fast track in the district.
2003 January	Montana	The next gold rush, or gold bust? Montana debates benefits, costs of coalbed methane.
2002 November	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota Wisconsin	Focus: Toxic Legacy What lies beneath The bills come due for hardrock mining's toxic past. The prices—right The toughest problem in metal mining's future will be making prices reflect all the costs. Pay dirt or fool's gold Do small towns strike it rich with metal mining or do they simply get the shaft? How much for a grizzly? Estimating environmental values is difficult by essential.
2002 July	Minnesota Montana	After disaster: Salvage or savage logging? Opposing views on the value of timber harvests after natural disasters.
2002 July	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota Wisconsin	Digging in or digging out? Despite new exploration, mining's future is in a deep hole.
2002 July	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota	Hunting for a solution Resident and nonresident hunters duel over the benefits of state game resources.
2002 January	Minnesota Montana North Dakota	Theme song for softwood lumber: Oh, Canada Are Canadian imports killing the U.S. softwood industry?
2001 November	Minnesota North Dakota Wisconsin	After the flood Flood insurance and wetlands restoration are two policies that hold both promise and problems for flood control. Will they be able to handle the next disaster?
2001 November	Minnesota North Dakota Wisconsin	Fighting the last war Current policy neglects to anticipate the impact of floodplain development on future flood potential.
2001 November	Minnesota North Dakota Wisconsin	Back to nature Restoring wetlands may help to control floods, but their other values complicate the picture
2001 September	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota Wisconsin	Focus: Floods Back to nature Restoring wetlands may help to control floods, but their other values complicate the picture. Subsidizing sorrow We call them acts of God, but the flood disasters of the past decade were caused, in part, by poor policy. Have we learned our lessons or are we making floods still worse? The failure of flood control Billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on flood management and disaster relief, but flood disasters continue and costs keep climbing Dam it all Dams and levees are the usual answer to flooding, but they're not always the right answer. So why do we keep building them? Out of harm's way The new wave in flood control is getting rid of the problem: Us
2001 July	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota Wisconsin	Considering the alternatives Rapidly rising energy costs and shrinking supplies are sparking creativity and generating new power sources.
2001 March	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	Pulp Friction Consolidation in the paper industry is a global phenomenon with huge Ninth District impact. The question is: Will it work?
2001 March	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	Micropower: The next big thing? New electricity technologies promise power to the people, but the revolution may be delayed
2001 January	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	Focus: Electricity Deregulation Power Struggle Deregulation, once seen as inevitable in the electric industry, is now on the backburner in most Ninth District states. Pulling the plug on electricity deregulation? As policymakers seek reliable power grids, utilities and large consumers cope with an uncertain regulatory future. Under the Influence All engines are go for the ethanol industry, but whether that continues hinges on fickle consumers and government policy. Ethanol in the Ninth District Corn farmers not alone on the ethanol bandwagon Blowin' in the wind Underneath the chaos of electricity deregulation, part of the answer (my friend) to future energy needs might be wind generation. Status of Electricity Deregulation in Ninth District States
2001 January	Minnesota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	"Musseling" in on the Ninth District economy: How many clams will it cost?
2000 October	Montana	Montana fires ignite questions about economic impact
2000 July	Minnesota Michigan	The 'big drink' a few swallows short
2000 April	Montana	Coming to a national forest near you Roadless initiative more complex than "knuckle-dragging loggers vs. spotted owls"
2000 January	Minnesota U.P. Michigan	Tied to steel tracks Trends in the steel industry hold important decisions for Minnesota and Upper Michigan iron ore mines looking for a secure future
1998 April	North Dakota Montana	North Dakota and Montana producers avoid overreaction to world oil plight
1997 October	Wisconsin	A new kind of theme park comes to Ladysmith
1997 July	Wisconsin	Watery logs expand wood products industry
1997 July	North Dakota	Oil continues to boost western North Dakota economy
1996 October	Minnesota Montana North Dakota South Dakota U.P. Michigan Wisconsin	Mining in the Ninth District
1996 January	North Dakota	Wind harnessed for reservation electricity
1996 January	U.P. Michigan	New pulp mill promises jobs and clean air
1995 October	U.P. Michigan	Western U.P. mine closes, locals look to keep workers at home
1995 July	North Dakota	Oil wells rain dollars on Dickinson
1995 April	Minnesota	Taconite industry is up side of a perpetual roller coaster ride
1995 April	Montana	Proposed iron carbide plant will fuel Shelby's economy
1995 April	Wisconsin	Metallic mine raises questions for northwestern Wisconsin
1994 October	Montana	Front range of Rocky Mountains latest battleground over development
1994 July	Montana	Tribes herald agreement on reservation's natural gas fields
1994 January	Minnesota	Duluth paper recycling plant opens
1994 January	North Dakota	New oil well shows promise
1994 January	South Dakota	Fresh water finally on tap for South Dakota residents
1994 January	U.P. Michigan	State forests boost U.P. timber industry
1993 October	Minnesota	Small windmill manufacturer shines in world market
1993 October	North Dakota	Energy research center knows no boundaries
1993 July	North Dakota	State hopes to expand coal research
1993 April	Wisconsin	State is sitting on a gold mine and a copper mine and ...
1992 October	Minnesota	Prairie winds generate $
1992 October	Montana	Ethanol plant to create job in Great Falls and new grain market in Montana
1992 October	North Dakota	Clean-coal power plant proposed for Center
1992 October	U.P. Michigan	Michigan Tech, U.P. firms grow in response to environmental laws
1992 July	Minnesota	Iron Range meets steel industry challenges head on
1992 July	Montana	Montana wilderness bill finds reluctant support, presents bittersweet solution
1992 July	U.P. Michigan	Sawmill opens at Ironwood
1992 April	South Dakota	Black Hills gold production dips
1992 April	U.P. Michigan	U.P. copper mining revived
1992 January	Minnesota	Paper companies feel impact of weak economy but look to future
1992 January	North Dakota	North Dakota oil patch feeling pinch
1992 January	Wisconsin	Seasonal business scarcely affected by economy
1992 January	U.P. Michigan	U.P. forest products industry riding out weak economy

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