Dive Brief:
- Lawmakers in North Dakota approved a measure to establish a pilot program focused on treating and recycling oil drilling waste.
- The project is looking to use some of the state’s estimated one million tons of oil drilling waste produced annually for road construction and other uses.
- State Senators initially approved the bill that was then endorsed by the North Dakota House 87-6, now slated for Gov. Jack Dalrymple to sign.
Dive Insight:
The state Health Department has to select at least one company to create a recycling facility for the drill cuttings.
The measure will earmark around $65,000 in funds that the Health Department will use to oversee the pilot program and create standards. “Our biggest concern is we don’t start using this stuff before we know it’s safe,” said Dave Glatt, the state Environmental Health Chief.
