News Releases for May 2002
May 6, 2002
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Hoeven Meets With Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert On Air Quality, Security, Energy, Agriculture Issues
BISMARCK, N.D. - Governor John Hoeven met today with Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert to discuss a range of issues, including air quality, energy, agriculture trade and transportation.
“Premier Calvert and I had a productive meeting, although we agreed to disagree on several issues,” Hoeven said. “North Dakota’s interests differ from Saskatchewan’s on the Canadian Wheat Board, but I’m optimistic that we made some progress on measures to reduce Saskatchewan power plant emissions.”
Hoeven pushed the Canadian premier to implement emission-reduction technology at Saskatchewan’s 875-megawatt Boundary Dam Thermal Power Station, which is a subsidiary of the provincially owned Crown Investment Corporation. The plant produces 35 percent of Saskatchewan’s electricity and consumes 4.5 megatons of coal per year.
Prevailing winds in North Dakota run from the northwest, affecting North Dakota’s air quality, Hoeven told the premier. While North Dakota has steadily improved its emissions over the past decade, Saskatchewan’s emissions have increased, Hoeven said.
Calvert said implementation of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide “scrubbers,” or emission-control technology, is underway. The premier said his office would forward more detailed information about the project to the governor. Saskatchewan has said it will retrofit its older plants with emission control technology by 2004.
Additionally, North Dakota and Saskatchewan share a cooperative interest in promoting energy development, Hoeven said. Calvert told Hoeven that his government is interested in pipeline contracts, and the development of alternative energy sources, notably wind power.
The governor and premier talked about building on existing cooperative ventures, such as horizontal oil drilling and secondary oil recovery. Saskatchewan oil producers currently purchase carbon dioxide (CO2) from the Dakota Gasification plant in Beulah. The gas is used in secondary oil recovery.
“This $100 million project benefits North Dakota by creating a market for a byproduct of coal gasification, and it benefits Saskatchewan by providing a product that enables it to yield more from its wells,” Hoeven said. “Additionally, it reduces CO2 emissions, which is a win-win situation.”
The leaders disagreed on agriculture policy. Hoeven expressed his concern over the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopolistic trade practices, and notified Calvert that North Dakota would continue to pursue a strong remedy. Hoeven said he would continue to push U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick to impose tariff rate-quotas on the Canadian government owned board.
On another matter, the two leaders agreed that border security issues have been handled well, with little disruption to cross-border transportation.
“We will keep the lines of communication open,” Hoeven said. “We share a number of mutual concerns and challenges, and we will continue to look for opportunities to work together.”
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