Department of Environmental Quality schedules public hearing to address air pollution control plan

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality has scheduled a public hearing to address proposed changes to the North Dakota State Implementation Plan for air pollution control on May 31 at 9:00 a.m. at 4201 Normandy Street in Bismarck. The hearing will address Environmental Quality’s plan revision for addressing haze (visibility impairment) in Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness Area. See further details at https://www.deq.nd.gov/AQ/planning/RegHaze.aspx.

Environmental Quality will accept in-person oral testimony from the public during the hearing. The public may also listen online at https://www.deq.nd.gov/AQ/planning/RegHaze.aspx.

Environmental Quality will accept written comments regarding the changes by June 1, 2022. Please address written comments to James L. Semerad, Division of Air Quality, North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, 4201 Normandy Street, Bismarck, ND 58503, or email them to airquality@nd.gov with Public Comment for Air Pollution Control SIP in the subject line.

Environmental Quality will consider every request for reasonable accommodation to provide an accessible meeting facility or other accommodation for people with disabilities, language interpretation for people with limited English proficiency, and translations of written material necessary to access programs and information. To request accommodations, contact Jennifer Skjod, Public Information Officer, at 701-328-5226 or jskjod@nd.gov. TTY users may use Relay North Dakota at 711 or 1-800-366-6888.

For more information, please contact David Stroh (destroh@nd.gov) via email or phone (701-328-5229).

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Environmental Quality accepting applications for Volkswagen settlement funding

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality is again accepting applications for project funding from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust. The eligible projects, outlined in North Dakota’s mitigation plan, reduce emissions of the pollutant nitrogen oxide (NO_x).

Environmental Quality may issue up to $2.2 million in funding from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust to replace or repower various eligible vehicles and equipment. Funding is available to government and non-government entities for projects that mitigate the negative air quality impacts caused by Volkswagen’s use of emissions testing defeat devices in their vehicles sold and operated in the United States. North Dakota’s share of the trust is approximately $8.1 million.

Please visit https://deq.nd.gov/AQ/planning/VW.aspx for more information, program guidelines, and the necessary application materials. Applications can be mailed to the Division of Air Quality, 4201 Normandy Street, Bismarck, ND 58503-1324 or emailed to airquality@nd.gov. The application deadline is Monday, May 2, 2022, at 5 p.m. CDT.

For more information, please contact either Keith Hinnenkamp (khinnenk@nd.gov) via email or phone (701-328-5188).

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State Clean Diesel Grants Awarded

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, through the US Environmental Protection Agency, issued $290,575 in awards to the following recipients for the replacement of old diesel-powered school buses and trucks with new cleaner diesel-powered vehicles. The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) of the Energy Policy Act of 2010 allocates funds to states to implement projects that reduce diesel emissions. These replacements are being conducted utilizing North Dakota’s FY2021 DERA funding.

Award Recipients

• Nesson Public School — $24,000
• Bismarck Public Schools — $31,781
• Surrey Public School — $25,187
• Maddock Public School — $32,306
• City of Fargo — $154,829
• TGU School District — $22,472

For more information, please contact either Keith Hinnenkamp (khinnenk@nd.gov) via email or phone (701-328-5188).

NDDEQ seeks comments on updates to Volkswagen mitigation plan

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) invites citizens to submit public comment on proposed revisions to North Dakota’s mitigation plan for the Volkswagen Settlement. A state must outline an action plan to reduce NO_x emissions based on the settlement’s list of eligible projects to receive settlement funding.

The minor plan revisions focus mainly on the program’s budget and updates to the program’s estimated funding awards for each eligible project category. A copy of the draft revised mitigation plan, and the current mitigation plan, can be found at https://deq.nd.gov/AQ/planning/VW.aspx.

During the first two years of the program, the NDDEQ has awarded Volkswagen Settlement funding for projects throughout North Dakota to replace 24 school buses, six emergency vehicles, and nine trucks. In addition, funding has been awarded to install 17 electric vehicle charging sites across the state.

The NDDEQ is not currently requesting project proposals but is seeking public comment to help finalize the revised mitigation plan. The 30-day comment period begins August 26 and ends September 25, 2021. The public can send written comments to the Division of Air Quality, 4201 Normandy Street 2nd Floor, Bismarck, ND 58503-1324 or email airquality@nd.gov. See Notice of Public Participation.

More information on North Dakota’s Volkswagen Settlement program is available at https://deq.nd.gov/AQ/planning/VW.aspx.

For more information, please contact Angela Seligman at 701-328-5291 (aseligman@nd.gov), or Keith Hinnenkamp at 701-328-5196 (KHinnenk@nd.gov).

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The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality relocates effective September 1

BISMARCK, N.D. – Effective Wednesday, Sept. 1, the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality will move its operations from the Gold Seal Building on Divide Avenue to the Normandy Building at 4201 Normandy Street, Bismarck, ND 58503-1324. Although the physical address is changing, all other contact information will remain the same, including email addresses, phone numbers, and the website.

New Address:
Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Air Quality
4201 Normandy Street, 2nd Fl
Bismarck, ND 58503-1324

For more information, contact Jennifer Skjod (jskodk@nd.gov) via email or phone (701-328-5226).