Industry: ND should invest $5B in oil patch

WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) — The president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council says the state should invest up to $5 billion in northwest North Dakota communities with the most oil activity.

The Forum newspaper reports (bit.ly/LZoYsjedit) that Ron Ness testified before a group of legislators meeting in Williston on Wednesday.

Ness called for a five-year plan with $800 million to $1 billion per year invested in schools, roads and infrastructure for communities in the core areas of the oil patch.

Ness says the industry paid $1.3 billion in oil and gas production tax last year and will pay even more this year. He says those dollars should be targeted at the counties with the greatest oil activity.

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Information from: The Forum, http://www.in-forum.com

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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