2016 North Dakota Century Code
Title 57 Taxation
Chapter 57-51.1 Oil Extraction Tax


Download as PDF CHAPTER 57-51.1 OIL EXTRACTION TAX 57-51.1-01. Definitions for oil extraction tax. For the purposes of this chapter: 1. "Average daily production" of a well means the qualified maximum total production of oil from the well during a calendar month period divided by the number of calendar days in that period, and "qualified maximum total production" of a well means that the well must have been maintained at the maximum efficient rate of production as defined and determined by rule adopted by the industrial commission in furtherance of its authority under chapter 38-08. 2. "Horizontal well" means a well with a horizontal displacement of the well bore drilled at an angle of at least eighty degrees within the productive formation of at least three hundred feet [91.44 meters]. 3. "Oil" means petroleum, crude oil, mineral oil, casinghead gasoline, and all liquid hydrocarbons that are recovered from gas on the lease incidental to the production of the gas. 4. "Property" means the right which arises from a lease or fee interest, as a whole or any designated portion thereof, to produce oil. A producer shall treat as a separate property each separate and distinct producing reservoir subject to the same right to produce crude oil; provided, that such reservoir is recognized by the industrial commission as a producing formation that is separate and distinct from, and not in communication with, any other producing formation. 5. "Qualifying secondary recovery project" means a project employing water flooding. To be eligible for the tax exemption provided under section 57-51.1-03, a secondary recovery project must be certified as qualifying by the industrial commission and the project operator must have obtained incremental production as defined in subsection 3 of section 57-51.1-03. 6. "Qualifying tertiary recovery project" means a project for enhancing recovery of oil which meets the requirements of section 4993(c), Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended through December 31, 1986, and includes the following methods for recovery: a. Miscible fluid displacement. b. Steam drive injection. c. Microemulsion. d. In situ combustion. e. Polymer augmented water flooding. f. Cyclic steam injection. g. Alkaline flooding. h. Carbonated water flooding. i. Immiscible carbon dioxide displacement. j. New tertiary recovery methods certified by the industrial commission. It does not include water flooding, unless the water flooding is used as an element of one of the qualifying tertiary recovery techniques described in this subsection, or immiscible natural gas injection. To be eligible for the tax exemption provided under section 57-51.1-03, a tertiary recovery project must be certified as qualifying by the industrial commission, the project operator must continue to operate the unit as a qualifying tertiary recovery project, and the project operator must have obtained incremental production as defined in subsection 3 of section 57-51.1-03. 7. "Royalty owner" means an owner of what is commonly known as the royalty interest and shall not include the owner of any overriding royalty or other payment carved out of the working interest. 8. "Stripper well" means a well drilled and completed, or re-entered and recompleted as a horizontal well, after June 30, 2013, whose average daily production of oil during any preceding consecutive twelve-month period, excluding condensate recovered in nonassociated production, per well did not exceed ten barrels per day for wells of a Page No. 1 9. depth of six thousand feet [1828.80 meters] or less, fifteen barrels per day for wells of a depth of more than six thousand feet [1828.80 meters] but not more than ten thousand feet [3048 meters], and thirty barrels per day for wells of a depth of more than ten thousand feet [3048 meters] outside the Bakken and Three Forks formations, and thirty-five barrels per day for wells of a depth of more than ten thousand feet [3048 meters] in the Bakken or Three Forks formation. "Stripper well property" means wells drilled and completed, or a well re-entered and recompleted as a horizontal well, before July 1, 2013, on a "property" whose average daily production of oil, excluding condensate recovered in nonassociated production, per well did not exceed ten barrels per day for wells of a depth of six thousand feet [1828.80 meters] or less, fifteen barrels per day for wells of a depth of more than six thousand feet [1828.80 meters] but not more than ten thousand feet [3048 meters], and thirty barrels per day for wells of a depth of more than ten thousand feet [3048 meters] during any preceding consecutive twelve-month period. Wells which did not actually yield or produce oil during the qualifying twelve-month period, including disposal wells, dry wells, spent wells, and shut-in wells, are not production wells for the purpose of determining whether the stripper well property exemption applies. 57-51.1-02. Imposition of oil extraction tax. There is hereby imposed an excise tax, to be known as the "oil extraction tax", upon the activity in this state of extracting oil from the earth, and every owner, including any royalty owner, of any part of the oil extracted is deemed for the purposes of this chapter to be engaged in the activity of extracting that oil. The rate of tax is five percent of the gross value at the well of the oil extracted. However, if the average price of a barrel of crude oil exceeds the trigger price of ninety dollars for each month in any consecutive three-month period, then the rate of tax on oil extracted from all taxable wells is six percent of the gross value at the well of the oil extracted until the average price of a barrel of crude oil is less than the trigger price of ninety dollars for each month in any consecutive three-month period, in which case the rate of tax reverts to five percent of the gross value at the well of the oil extracted. By December thirty-first of each year, the tax commissioner shall determine an indexed trigger price under this section by applying to the current trigger price an adjustment equal to the percentage rate of change of the producer price index for industrial commodities as calculated and published by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, for the twelve months ending June thirtieth of that year and the indexed trigger price so determined is the trigger price for the following calendar year. For purposes of this section, "average price" of a barrel of crude oil means the monthly average of the daily closing price for a barrel of west Texas intermediate cushing crude oil, as those prices appear in the Wall Street Journal, midwest edition. When computing the monthly average price, the most recent previous daily closing price must be considered the daily closing price for the days on which the market is closed. 57-51.1-02.1. Temporary exemption for oil and gas wells employing a system to avoid flaring. Liquids produced from a collection system described in subdivision d of subsection 2 of section 38-08-06.4 utilizing absorption, adsorption, or refrigeration are exempt from the tax under section 57-51.1-02 for a period of two years and thirty days from the time of first production. 57-51.1-03. Exemptions from oil extraction tax. The following activities are specifically exempted from the oil extraction tax: 1. The activity of extracting from the earth any oil that is exempt from the gross production tax imposed by chapter 57-51. 2. The activity of extracting from the earth any oil from a stripper well property or individual stripper well. Page No. 2 3. a. b. c. The incremental production from a secondary recovery project which has been certified as a qualified project by the industrial commission after July 1, 1991, is exempt from any taxes imposed under this chapter for a period of five years from the date the incremental production begins. The incremental production from a tertiary recovery project which has been certified as a qualified project by the industrial commission is exempt from any taxes imposed under this chapter for a period of ten years from the date the incremental production begins. Incremental production from a tertiary recovery project from a horizontal well drilled and completed within the Bakken and Three Forks formations which has been certified as a qualified project by the industrial commission is not exempt from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2017, and is thereafter exempt from any taxes imposed under this chapter for a period of five years from July 1, 2017, or the date the incremental production begins, whichever is later. For purposes of this subsection, incremental production is defined in the following manner: (1) For purposes of determining the exemption provided for in subdivision a and with respect to a unit where there has not been a secondary recovery project, incremental production means the difference between the total amount of oil produced from the unit during the secondary recovery project and the amount of primary production from the unit. For purposes of this paragraph, primary production means the amount of oil which would have been produced from the unit if the secondary recovery project had not been commenced. The industrial commission shall determine the amount of primary production in a manner which conforms to the practice and procedure used by the commission at the time the project is certified. (2) For purposes of determining the exemption provided for in subdivision a and with respect to a unit where a secondary recovery project was in existence prior to July 1, 1991, and where the industrial commission cannot establish an accurate production decline curve, incremental production means the difference between the total amount of oil produced from the unit during a new secondary recovery project and the amount of production which would be equivalent to the average monthly production from the unit during the most recent twelve months of normal production reduced by a production decline rate of ten percent for each year. The industrial commission shall determine the average monthly production from the unit during the most recent twelve months of normal production and must upon request or upon its own motion hold a hearing to make this determination. For purposes of this paragraph, when determining the most recent twelve months of normal production the industrial commission is not required to use twelve consecutive months. In addition, the production decline rate of ten percent must be applied from the last month in the twelve-month period of time. (3) For purposes of determining the exemption provided for in subdivision a and with respect to a unit where a secondary recovery project was in existence before July 1, 1991, and where the industrial commission can establish an accurate production decline curve, incremental production means the difference between the total amount of oil produced from the unit during the new secondary recovery project and the total amount of oil that would have been produced from the unit if the new secondary recovery project had not been commenced. For purposes of this paragraph, the total amount of oil that would have been produced from the unit if the new secondary recovery project had not been commenced includes both primary production and production that occurred as a result of the secondary recovery project that was in existence before July 1, 1991. The industrial commission shall determine the amount of oil that would have been produced from the unit if the new secondary recovery project had not been commenced in a manner Page No. 3 4. that conforms to the practice and procedure used by the commission at the time the new secondary recovery project is certified. (4) For purposes of determining the exemption provided for in subdivision b and with respect to a unit where there has not been a secondary recovery project, incremental production means the difference between the total amount of oil produced from the unit during the tertiary recovery project and the amount of primary production from the unit. For purposes of this paragraph, primary production means the amount of oil which would have been produced from the unit if the tertiary recovery project had not been commenced. The industrial commission shall determine the amount of primary production in a manner which conforms to the practice and procedure used by the commission at the time the project is certified. (5) For purposes of determining the exemption provided for in subdivision b and with respect to a unit where there is or has been a secondary recovery project, incremental production means the difference between the total amount of oil produced during the tertiary recovery project and the amount of production which would be equivalent to the average monthly production from the unit during the most recent twelve months of normal production reduced by a production decline rate of ten percent for each year. The industrial commission shall determine the average monthly production from the unit during the most recent twelve months of normal production and must upon request or upon its own motion hold a hearing to make this determination. For purposes of this paragraph, when determining the most recent twelve months of normal production the industrial commission is not required to use twelve consecutive months. In addition, the production decline rate of ten percent must be applied from the last month in the twelve-month period of time. (6) For purposes of determining the exemption provided for in subdivision b and with respect to a unit where there is or has been a secondary recovery project and where the industrial commission can establish an accurate production decline curve, incremental production means the difference between the total amount of oil produced from the unit during the tertiary recovery project and the total amount of oil that would have been produced from the unit if the tertiary recovery project had not been commenced. For purposes of this paragraph, the total amount of oil that would have been produced from the unit if the tertiary recovery project had not been commenced includes both primary production and production that occurred as a result of any secondary recovery project. The industrial commission shall determine the amount of oil that would have been produced from the unit if the tertiary recovery project had not been commenced in a manner that conforms to the practice and procedure used by the commission at the time the tertiary recovery project is certified. d. The industrial commission shall adopt rules relating to this exemption that must include procedures for determining incremental production as defined in subdivision c. The first seventy-five thousand barrels of oil produced during the first eighteen months after completion, from a well drilled and completed outside the Bakken and Three Forks formations, and ten miles [16.10 kilometers] or more outside an established field in which the industrial commission has defined the pool to include the Bakken or Three Forks formation, is subject to a reduced tax rate of two percent of the gross value at the well of the oil extracted under this chapter. Page No. 4 57-51.1-03.1. (Effective through December 31, 2015) Stripper well, new well, work-over, and secondary or tertiary project certification for tax exemption or rate reduction - Filing requirement. To receive the benefits of a tax exemption or tax rate reduction, a certification of qualifying well status prepared by the industrial commission must be submitted to the tax commissioner as follows: 1. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption on production from a stripper well property or individual stripper well under subsection 2 of section 57-51.1-03, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within eighteen months after the end of the stripper well property's or stripper well's qualification period. 2. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption under subsection 3 of section 57-51.1-03 and a rate reduction on production from a new well under section 57-51.1-02, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within eighteen months after a new well is completed. 3. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption under subsection 4 of section 57-51.1-03 and a rate reduction for a work-over well under section 57-51.1-02, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within eighteen months after the work-over project is completed. 4. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption under subsection 5 of section 57-51.1-03 and a tax rate reduction under section 57-51.1-02 on production from a secondary or tertiary project, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within the following time periods: a. For a tax exemption, within eighteen months after the month in which the first incremental oil was produced. b. For a tax rate reduction, within eighteen months after the end of the period qualifying the project for the rate reduction. 5. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption or the reduction on production for which any other tax exemption or rate reduction may apply, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within eighteen months of the completion, recompletion, or other qualifying date. 6. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption under subsection 6 of section 57-51.1-03 on production from a two-year inactive well, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within eighteen months after the end of the two-year inactive well's qualification period. If the industrial commission's certification is not submitted to the tax commissioner within the eighteen-month period provided in this section, then the exemption or rate reduction does not apply for the production periods in which the certification is not on file with the tax commissioner. When the industrial commission's certification is submitted to the tax commissioner after the eighteen-month period, the tax exemption or rate reduction applies to prospective production periods only and the exemption or rate reduction is effective the first day of the month in which the certification is received by the tax commissioner. (Effective after January 1, 2016) Stripper well, new well, work-over, and secondary or tertiary project certification for tax exemption or rate reduction - Filing requirement. To receive the benefits of a tax exemption or tax rate reduction, a certification of qualifying well status prepared by the industrial commission must be submitted to the tax commissioner as follows: 1. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption on production from a stripper well property or individual stripper well under subsection 2 of section 57-51.1-03, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within eighteen months after the end of the stripper well property's or stripper well's qualification period. 2. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption under subsection 3 of section 57-51.1-03 and a rate reduction on production from a new well under section 57-51.1-02, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within eighteen months after a new well is completed. Page No. 5 3. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption under subsection 4 of section 57-51.1-03 and a rate reduction for a work-over well under section 57-51.1-02, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within eighteen months after the work-over project is completed. 4. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption under subsection 3 of section 57-51.1-03 and a tax rate reduction under section 57-51.1-02 on production from a secondary or tertiary project, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within the following time periods: a. For a tax exemption, within eighteen months after the month in which the first incremental oil was produced. b. For a tax rate reduction, within eighteen months after the end of the period qualifying the project for the rate reduction. 5. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption or the reduction on production for which any other tax exemption or rate reduction may apply, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within eighteen months of the completion, recompletion, or other qualifying date. 6. To receive, from the first day of eligibility, a tax exemption under subsection 6 of section 57-51.1-03 on production from a two-year inactive well, the industrial commission's certification must be submitted to the tax commissioner within eighteen months after the end of the two-year inactive well's qualification period. If the industrial commission's certification is not submitted to the tax commissioner within the eighteen-month period provided in this section, then the exemption or rate reduction does not apply for the production periods in which the certification is not on file with the tax commissioner. When the industrial commission's certification is submitted to the tax commissioner after the eighteen-month period, the tax exemption or rate reduction applies to prospective production periods only and the exemption or rate reduction is effective the first day of the month in which the certification is received by the tax commissioner. 57-51.1-04. Authority of tax commissioner to accept production reports computed on a property basis. Repealed by S.L. 1989, ch. 732, § 5. 57-51.1-05. Administration of oil extraction tax. For the purposes of administering the tax imposed by section 57-51.1-02, the provisions of chapter 57-51 pertaining to the administration of the oil and gas gross production tax law not in conflict with the provisions of this chapter, including but not limited to the provisions of that chapter relating to the filing of returns, deduction of the tax by the purchaser or producer in making settlement with any owner of the oil, payment of the tax and interest and penalties thereon, refunds, attachment of liens for failure to pay the tax, and civil and criminal penalties for failure to comply with the provisions of that chapter, govern the administration of the tax imposed by section 57-51.1-02. 57-51.1-06. Oil extraction tax development fund established. The tax imposed by section 57-51.1-02 must be paid to the state treasurer when collected by the state tax commissioner and must be credited to a special fund in the state treasury, to be known as the oil extraction tax development fund. The moneys accumulated in such fund must be allocated as provided in this chapter and the legislative assembly shall make any appropriation of money that may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter. For purposes of distributions and allocations made by the state treasurer under this chapter and chapters 57-51 and 57-51.2, all revenue collected by the commissioner under this chapter must be considered revenue collections for the period in which the revenue was received by the commissioner. Page No. 6 57-51.1-07. Allocation of moneys in oil extraction tax development fund. Moneys deposited in the oil extraction tax development fund must be transferred monthly by the state treasurer as follows: 1. Twenty percent must be allocated and credited to the sinking fund established for payment of the state of North Dakota water development bonds, southwest pipeline series, and any moneys in excess of the sum necessary to maintain the accounts within the sinking fund and for the payment of principal and interest on the bonds must be credited to a special trust fund, to be known as the resources trust fund. The resources trust fund must be established in the state treasury and the funds therein must be deposited and invested as are other state funds to earn the maximum amount permitted by law which income must be deposited in the resources trust fund. Five percent of the amount credited to the resources trust fund must be transferred no less than quarterly into the renewable energy development fund, not to exceed three million dollars per biennium. One-half of one percent of the amount credited to the resources trust fund must be transferred no less than quarterly into the energy conservation grant fund not to exceed one million two hundred thousand dollars per biennium. The principal and income of the resources trust fund may be expended only pursuant to legislative appropriation and are available to: a. The state water commission for planning for and construction of water-related projects, including rural water systems. These water-related projects must be those which the state water commission has the authority to undertake and construct pursuant to chapter 61-02; and b. The industrial commission for the funding of programs for development of renewable energy sources; for studies for development of cogeneration systems that increase the capacity of a system to produce more than one kind of energy from the same fuel; for studies for development of waste products utilization; and for the making of grants and loans in connection therewith. c. The department of commerce for the funding of programs for development of energy conservation and for the making of grants and loans relating to energy conservation. 2. Twenty percent must be allocated to the common schools trust fund and foundation aid stabilization fund as provided in section 24 of article X of the Constitution of North Dakota. 3. Thirty percent must be allocated to the legacy fund as provided in section 26 of article X of the Constitution of North Dakota. 4. Thirty percent must be allocated and credited to the state's general fund. 57-51.1-07.1. Resources trust fund - Procedure for review of applications for financial assistance for water-related projects. 1. A political subdivision or rural water system seeking loans, grants, or other financial assistance by legislative appropriation from the resources trust fund for a water-related project or study must submit the proposed water-related project or study to the state water commission for review. The commission may require the political subdivision or rural water system to supply information as it considers necessary to review the request. After consideration and review of the proposed water-related project or study, the state water commission may conduct or it may require the project sponsor to conduct a preliminary study for the proposed project or study. The preliminary study must be conducted in accordance with criteria established pursuant to subsection 3. 2. Every legislative bill appropriating moneys from the resources trust fund pursuant to subsection 1 must be accompanied by a state water commission report, which must include: a. A summary of the engineering feasibility study of the proposed water project. b. Statements concerning the proposed water project as it relates to the comprehensive state water plan of the state water commission. c. The need for the proposed water project, including any alternative projects which would satisfy such need. Page No. 7 d. 3. The availability of other sources of funding or financial assistance for such water project. e. A recommendation as to whether or not the proposed water project should receive financial assistance through legislative appropriation from the resources trust fund. f. Other items as deemed necessary or appropriate by the state water commission. The state water commission shall adopt rules for governing the review and recommendation of proposed water projects for which financial assistance by legislative appropriation from the resources trust fund is being sought under this section. The rules must consider project revenues, local cost sharing, and ability to pay. The rules may provide for repayment of a portion of funds allocated from the resources trust fund. 57-51.1-07.2. Permanent oil tax trust fund - Deposits - Interest - Adjustment of distribution formula. Repealed by S.L. 2011, ch. 483, § 11. 57-51.1-07.3. Oil and gas research fund - Deposits - Continuing appropriation. There is established a special fund in the state treasury to be known as the oil and gas research fund. Before depositing oil and gas gross production tax and oil extraction tax revenues in the general fund, tax relief fund, strategic investment and improvements fund, or the state disaster relief fund, two percent of the revenues must be deposited monthly into the oil and gas research fund, up to ten million dollars per biennium. All moneys deposited in the oil and gas research fund and interest on all such moneys are appropriated as a continuing appropriation to the council to be used for purposes stated in chapter 54-17.6. 57-51.1-07.4. Separate allocation of state share of collections from reservation development. Repealed by S.L. 2011, ch. 483, § 11. 57-51.1-07.5. (Effective through June 30, 2017) State share of oil and gas taxes Deposits. From the revenues designated for deposit in the state general fund under chapters 57-51 and 57-51.1, the state treasurer shall deposit the revenues received each biennium as follows: 1. The first two hundred million dollars into the state general fund; 2. The next three hundred million dollars into the tax relief fund; 3. The next one hundred million dollars into the state general fund; 4. The next one hundred million dollars into the strategic investment and improvements fund; 5. The next twenty-two million dollars into the state disaster relief fund, but not in an amount that would bring the unobligated balance in the fund to more than twenty-five million dollars; and 6. Any additional revenues: a. Seventy percent into the strategic investment and improvements fund; and b. Thirty percent into the political subdivision allocation fund. (Effective after June 30, 2017) State share of oil and gas taxes - Deposits. From the revenues designated for deposit in the state general fund under chapters 57-51 and 57-51.1, the state treasurer shall deposit the revenues received each biennium as follows: 1. The first two hundred million dollars into the state general fund; 2. The next three hundred million dollars into the tax relief fund; 3. The next one hundred million dollars into the state general fund; 4. The next one hundred million dollars into the strategic investment and improvements fund; Page No. 8 5. 6. The next twenty-two million dollars into the state disaster relief fund, but not in an amount that would bring the unobligated balance in the fund to more than twenty-five million dollars; and Any additional revenues into the strategic investment and improvements fund. 57-51.1-07.6. Political subdivision allocation fund - Oil and gas tax revenue allocations to political subdivisions - State treasurer - Continuing appropriation. There is created in the state treasury the political subdivision allocation fund. The fund consists of oil and gas tax revenue deposited in the fund pursuant to this chapter. All moneys in the fund are appropriated to the state treasurer on a continuing basis for the purpose of allocations to political subdivisions in oil-producing counties. 1. If the balance of the fund exceeds ten million dollars on March first of each odd-numbered year, within thirty-one days, the state treasurer shall allocate all moneys in the fund to eligible political subdivisions in oil-producing counties based on each political subdivision's oil and gas gross production tax allocations under subsection 4 or subsection 5 of section 57-51-15 in the most recently completed formula allocation year. The allocation to each eligible political subdivision must be proportional to each political subdivision's total oil and gas gross production tax allocation under subsection 4 or subsection 5 of section 57-51-15 in the most recently completed formula allocation year relative to the combined total of all oil and gas gross production tax allocations under subsection 4 and subsection 5 of section 57-51-15 in the most recently completed formula allocation year. For purposes of this subsection, "formula allocation year" means the period beginning September first of an odd-numbered year and ending August thirty-first of the following even-numbered year. 2. If the balance of the fund exceeds ten million dollars on August first of each odd-numbered year, within thirty-one days, the state treasurer shall allocate all moneys in the fund to eligible political subdivisions in oil-producing counties based on each political subdivision's oil and gas gross production tax allocations under subsection 4 or subsection 5 of section 57-51-15 in the most recently completed formula allocation year. The allocation to each eligible political subdivision must be proportional to each political subdivision's total oil and gas gross production tax allocation under subsection 4 or subsection 5 of section 57-51-15 in the most recently completed formula allocation year relative to the combined total of all oil and gas gross production tax allocations under subsection 4 and subsection 5 of section 57-51-15 in the most recently completed formula allocation year. For purposes of this subsection, "formula allocation year" means the period beginning September first of an odd-numbered year and ending August thirty-first of the following even-numbered year. 57-51.1-08. Intent. It is the intent of the electors of the state of North Dakota and the legislative assembly to fund public elementary and secondary education in North Dakota at the level of seventy percent of the educational cost per student, as determined under the provisions of chapter 15.1-27, to provide funds for the life skills and transition center, and to provide for water development and utilization and energy conservation and development programs by enactment of an excise tax to be known as the "oil extraction tax" and enactment of an income tax credit. The legislative assembly has determined that many areas within the state of North Dakota do not have adequate water supplies for municipal, domestic, livestock, light industrial, and other uses. However, adequate water supplies are essential for the social and economic stability of municipalities and rural areas. It is, therefore, declared to be in the best interest of the people of the state of North Dakota to establish a resources trust fund to be used to construct, or assist in the construction of, multiple-use water supply facilities. The legislative assembly also recognizes that appropriate planning to meet current and long-range water needs for the benefit of all of the citizens of the state of North Dakota is a matter of concern and high priority. The legislative assembly further intends that revenues generated by use of any facilities constructed, in whole or in part, with financing from the resources trust fund shall be deposited in the resources trust fund. Page No. 9

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