Meridian Energy Group thanks the Associated Press and Bismarck Tribune for its recent update (link included below) on the Davis Refinery, and the ongoing legal challenges that Meridian faces. Although Meridian has consistently and successfully met all of the legal challenges to date, in the interest of completing the picture, there are a number of things that should be pointed out.
The Siting review that opponents of the Davis Refinery want the Public Service Commission to perform has already been performed by the Billings County Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners. That comprehensive review, resulted in the unanimous approval by the Commission of Meridian’s rezoning and conditional use application in July 2016. Taking a ‘second bite at the apple’ by opponents of the Refinery is simply an attempt to delay the project, and the many benefits that the Davis Refinery will bring to the local community and the State of North Dakota.
Many true environmentalists have expressed their sincere gratitude for the effort undertaken on this project to lead the way within the industry in emission control measures. Controls so advanced, it is important to note that Davis emissions will be considerably less than that of vehicle traffic within the National Park, which generates more than 11 times the CO emissions and 8 times the NOX emissions yearly on average than that of the Davis Refinery (1,743,300 Total vehicle miles average per year 2013-2017).
The Davis Refinery is a state-of-the-art crude oil refinery sited on approximately 150 acres (and additional acreage for buffer) in Billings County east of the Fryburg Rail Facility in Belfield, North Dakota – the heart of the Bakken. At a rated capacity of up to 49,500 barrels per day (“bpd”), Davis could produce as much as 800mm gallons per year of refined products from local crude to serve regional markets.
The property is in close proximity to oil and gas pipelines and major transportation highways. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line runs directly through the refinery site, facilitating the construction of a crude oil feedstock offloading and refined fuels uploading terminal.
Click here to read AP/Bismarck Tribune Article
