Cavalier County
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Republican
Single Copy Volume 134
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In this issue:
Copyright © Langdon, North Dakota
Legislative updates can be found on Page 5. Three brothers were recently awarded Quilts of Valor, read more on Page 6.
Index
OPINION CHURCH COMMUNITY SPORTS PRO DIR AG PN CLASSIFIED
PAGE 4 PAGE 6 PAGE 7 PAGE 8 PAGE 9 PAGE 10 PAGE 11-12 PAGE 13
Monday, August 24, 2020
Number 34
Northern Canola Growers Association advocates push for new fuel source By Melissa Anderson Republican Writer
Turn to Page 3 to read the latest from the Cavalier County Commission and Langdon Area School Board.
Official Newspaper of Cavalier County Published since 1889
This year has not been kind to many different industries, but the oil industry has been hit especially hard. Much like the dinosaurs - "it’s made from oil" may soon be a thing of the past. The Northern Canola Growers Association, (NCGA) along with the U.S. Canola Association (USCA), have put forward renewed efforts to take the use of canola to a whole new level. The EPA finalized its initial pathways under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program for biodiesel and renewable diesel derived from soybean oil a decade ago. At that time, however, canola oil was being used as a feedstock for production of biodiesel, including being used for production at two of the largest biodiesel plants in the U.S. in Grays Harbor, Washington, and Velva, N.D. Because canola oil is typically considered an alternative to soybean oil, canola industry stakeholders, including the USCA, met with EPA and requested that it approve the same pathways for canola oil. The industry, at EPA’s request, provided the information needed to conduct a lifecycle analysis. “EPA has not approved canola oil for use in renewable diesel. This is different from biodiesel. Canola oil was approved for biodiesel use many years ago. What we are pushing for is EPA to approve the petition it has had for years that show the lifecycle
analysis for canola oil meets the 50 percent Greenhouse Gas Reduction requirement,” says Northern Canola Growers Executive Director Barry Coleman. The USCA shares that like biodiesel, renewable diesel is made of non-petroleum, renewable resources. But unlike biodiesel, these resources include lipids and cellulosic biomass, such as
oil. Its usage in renewable diesel allows consumers to benefit from it for both personal and environmental health: first from consumption and secondly in their vehicles,” the organization states. The current petition being put forward by the U.S. Canola Association (USCA) provides updated information on canola
crop residues, woody biomass and dedicated energy crops. Renewable diesel is processed like petroleum diesel with hydrogenation or other thermochemical and biochemical means, making it chemically similar. That allows it to be used in engines designed to run on petroleum diesel without blending. “Canola oil is an excellent feedstock for these valuable fuels, including as a waste product in renewable diesel due to its use in high volumes by many foodservice operations and value as a heart-healthy, edible
production and processing that supports the crop as viable for renewable diesel. EPA has approved a pathway for biodiesel and heating oil derived from canola oil using the transesterification process. As part of that process, EPA analyzed the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with canola oil production and processing. This petition provides updated data and analyses, which show reduced GHG emissions associated with canola production and processing to support approval of advanced biofuel pathways
for renewable diesel. The most significant source of emissions in EPA’s lifecycle GHG analysis for canola biodiesel is associated with land use change. The yields over the past ten years, since the initial petition was sent, have dramatically improved. The greater yields on fewer or comparable acres supports the finding that canola oil will not increase emissions with its production as a crop. The current reports, in fact, show that using canola oil produces significantly lower emissions than previously thought. Intensification has played a larger role in canola production than was accounted for 2010, and yields are higher in most regions. In the United States and Canada, additional canola is available through reduction of summer fallow lands. Higher yield means less land is required, and the forecast international land use emissions would be lower. In short, increased production of canola can occur without land use change. “We feel the production of renewable diesel from canola oil will help grow the market in both Canada and the U.S. for canola oil,” Coleman said. The petition also identifies adjustments that should be made to the emissions results that were determined using the modeling in 2010. Those bases show that EPA’s original assessment for canola biodiesel substantially overestimated potencont. on page 2
Pandemic exacerbates rural EMS struggles Donate via text to DVAC today virus from responding to a call for their own health. She said BY SYDNEY HOOVER exists, but concern about los- regular volunteers on the squad ing individuals in an already have opted to sit out shifts Sarah Vaith said she never thinning group of volunteers is based on doctor recommendaknows for sure what she’s walk- even greater. tions. ing into on a call with the MichiGartner, whose Kenmare AmArlen Gartner, a volunteer for gan, N.D., Area Ambulance Ser- the Kenmare ambulance ser- bulance takes calls from several vice. vice with more than 4o years surrounding counties, said his Before they are sent out on a of experience, said the prob- squad has not been affected call, the first responders in her lem of low staffing has existed financially because of the pansquad receive information from for several years. The pandemic demic. But for Vaith, a decrease dispatchers, who ask in calls has created screening questions: an additional finananyone have a fever or cial burden. She said other potential sympthat while the service tom of COVID-19? But is volunteer, they still there can be miscomrely on insurance munication or missing and other payments information. for each call to main“The pandemic is a tain operations. scary time for all of us,” Darren Welander Vaith said. “It's scary of Rolla said his emerfor those of us in EMS gency ambulance because sometimes service has mainthe communication tained its financial isn't there and doesn't stability throughout get to us, and then all the pandemic, but it of a sudden we find has seen a 25% deout we may have been crease in calls. exposed to somebody Sarah Vaith works in her office at Michigan (N.D.) "I think some paEmergency Services where she is the operations tients are just simthat has COVID.” Vaith, the service’s manager. She has worked as a first responder for ply afraid to go to operations manager, 10 years. hospitals due to the said if one of her volamount of COVID unteer EMTs was potentially has only exacerbated that. Gart- cases in the larger cities,” Weexposed, they would have to ner said when he first became lander said. quarantine until test results a trained first responder at 19, Rural ambulance services decame back for the patient they the process to become certified pend on insurance payments, treated. With a squad of only was much easier than it is today. local government contributions ten people, that could lead to a Carrie Roth, the squad leader and donations, but funding lack of staff to respond to calls. for New Leipzig Ambulance, has been a challenge for years. Rural volunteer emergency said people who would normal- So has recruitment and retenservices across North Dakota ly be interested in volunteering say the fear of contracting the are less inclined now out of fear cont. on page 2 ND Newspaper Association
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(701)256-5431 • www.fmbanklangdon.com
By Melissa Anderson Republican Writer
The Domestic Violence and Abuse Center (DVAC) needs your help. The services that they provide to those in need depends on the generosity of others. Executive Director Debra Olson has now found a way to make the donation process that much easier during hectic times - donation by text message. “I had been throwing the idea around for about 2 years. I had seen this done with other nonprofit organizations and felt it would work in a rural area like ours,” Olson said. Olson and DVAC are working with an outside company, Harness, to make this new method of donating happen. Thus far, Olson has been very happy with Harness and the service they provide to DVAC. “They have made it very easy for us to set up this option, and the process to donate is very easy through their company,” Olson commented. Streamlining the donation process to DVAC has been something that Olson
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has been wanting to do for awhile. She explained that the organization operates strictly on grants and donations and does not receive “regular yearly” funding. “Because we are so rural and the population we serve is small compared to urban areas, we tend to receive less grant funds than we need to keep running,” explained Olson. “Without community donations, we would have to close our doors.” The staff at DVAC and Olson understand that during this pandemic, people are being very c a r e ful with t h e i r d o l l a r s. From her viewpoint Olson completely understands why since people are unsure what is coming in the future and they do not want to be left short of funds to pay their bills and live. However, the pandemic has not stopped domestic violence. “We have been very busy, and normally we would have community funds to assist with helping victims who seek Safe Shelter with us, but our community donations are curcont. on page 3
Remember to use caution when driving in school zones. Member FDIC