Minot Daily News: Petroleum interests go green, for common good
The petroleum industry gets a lot of bad press these days – only some of which has any basis in objective facts. Much of the criticism seems more political than practical. After all, the energy sector has thus far avoided takeover by the federal government, unlike healthcare and banking most recently. Free market industry is anathema, strangely, to a significant portion of the population, even if all U.S. prosperity is based on that principle.
Whatever the reason, the sector rarely sees positive coverage – even when warranted.
For example, unless you read a brief in last week’s Minot Daily News, you might not be familiar with the Planting for the Future program. The North Dakota Petroleum Council kicked off its Planting for the Future pilot program on Thursday, planting 3,000 trees for habitat in Kidder County. The program is a partnership with the Outdoor Heritage Fund, ONEOK, Whiting Petroleum and private landowners to plant 58,000 trees and shrubs this year that will help with conservation, soil preservation and habitat for deer, pheasants and other wildlife.