Judge Allows PSC Participation in Pending Suit

According to an Associated Press report today, a federal judge has ruled that the North Dakota Public Service Commission can participate in a lawsuit challenging its authority to regulate coal mining in the state. In the lawsuit, North Dakota environmental groups argue that campaign contributions by the coal industry to PSC commissioners Kevin Cramer and Brian Kalk compromise the commissioners' objectivity. In the case decided today, the plaintiffs argued that PSC participation in the suit forces taxpayers to defend the proprietary of the commissioners' alleged acceptance of the campaign contributions at issue, according to the AP story. Read more...