The Lignite Energy Council recently honored 17 individuals for their dedication and contributions to the lignite industry during the Council’s 46th Annual Meeting on April 24, 2019, in Bismarck, ND.
“Our theme was ‘Blueprint for the Future,’ and certainly leaders who share their time and talents to benefit the entire industry are key to building a better lignite industry that provides reliable, low-cost and increasingly clean electricity,” said Jason Bohrer, president & CEO of the Lignite Energy Council.
- Lignite Public Service Award: Representative Todd Porter (R-Mandan) and Senator Jessica Unruh (R-Beulah) for their support of HB 1439, which incentivizes lignite-based carbon dioxide used for enhanced oil recovery in North Dakota. Senator Rich Wardner (R-Dickinson) for his support of the Lignite Research Program, which provides state and private investments for advanced generation technologies.
- Distinguished Service Award – Research and Development Program: Two were honored for their efforts to study the economic impacts of using carbon dioxide from lignite-based power plants for enhanced oil recovery. Honored were: Josh Stanislowski, a principal engineer with the Energy & Environmental Research Center and Dean Bangsund, a research scientist with North Dakota State University’s Agri-Economics Department.
- Distinguished Service Award – Government Action Program: Stacey Dahl, manager of external affairs with Minnkota Power Cooperative, was recognized for her leadership on passage of HB 1439 to incentivize the use of lignite-based CO2 for enhanced oil recovery in North Dakota.
- Distinguished Service Award – Regulatory Program: Terry O’Clair with the North Dakota Department of Health and William Dodd with the North Dakota Public Service Commission, were recognized for their long public service careers. O’Clair led the Air Quality Division and Dodd was the assistant director for the Abandoned Mine Lands Division.
- Distinguished Service Award – Public Relations: Steve Burke, mining engineer for the Falkirk Mining Company, received the award for helping to showcase how electric vehicles are using lignite-based electricity to power up through a TV and social media campaign.
- Distinguished Service Award – Education: Dan Daly, with the Energy & Environmental Research Center, received an award for his participation in the annual teachers’ seminar. Daly has given a comprehensive presentation about natural and manmade sources of CO2 and how it can be stored in geological formations.
- Ambassador of Lignite Award: Several employees were honored for their many years of dedicated service and expertise to the lignite industry. They included: Chere Allard, Bismarck State College; Greg Dehne, the Falkirk Mining Company; Marvin Hemphil, Great River Energy; Rick Lancaster, Great River Energy; Bill Libro, Minnesota Power; Skip Oberg, Great River Energy; and Vince Story, Interstate Power Systems.
LEC President Jason Bohrer and LEC Chair Wade Boeshans presented Senator Rich Wardner (R-Dickinson) with a public service award for his support of the Lignite Research Program, which provides state and private investments for advanced generation technologies.
LEC President Jason Bohrer and LEC Chair Wade Boeshans presented a public service award to Representative Todd Porter (R-Mandan) for his support in the North Dakota House of HB 1439, which incentivizes lignite-based carbon dioxide used for enhanced oil recovery.
LEC President Jason Bohrer and LEC Chair Wade Boeshans presented a public service award to Senator Jessica Unruh (R-Beulah) for her support in the North Dakota Senate of HB 1439, which incentivizes lignite-based carbon dioxide used for enhanced oil recovery.
Steve Burke received the Distinguished Service – Public Relations award. Burke is a mining engineer for the Falkirk Mining Company, and he received the award for helping to showcase how electric vehicles are using lignite-based electricity to power up.
Dan Daly (center) received the Distinguished Service Award – Education. Daly, with the Energy & Environmental Research Center, received the award for his participation in the annual teachers’ seminar. Daly has given a comprehensive presentation about natural and manmade sources of CO2 and how it can be stored in geological formations for several years.
Bill Dodd received the Distinguished Service Award – Regulatory Program. He is with the North Dakota Public Service Commission. Bill retired at the end of April after a long career with the PSC where he was the assistant director for the Abandoned Mine Lands Division.
Minnkota Power Cooperative’s Stacey Dahl received a Distinguished Service Award – Government Action Program for her leadership on passage of HB 1439 to incentivize the use of lignite-based CO2 for enhanced oil.
LEC Chair Wade Boeshans and LEC President Jason Bohrer presented ambassador of lignite awards to five individuals who are retiring after distinguished careers in the lignite industry. From L to R: Boeshans, Vince Story with Interstate Power Systems, Skip Oberg, Great River Energy, Rick Lancaster, Great River Energy, Greg Dehne, the Falkirk Mining Company, Chere Allard, Bismarck State College and Bohrer.