We Sent A Letter about Infrastructure Moratoriums

Infrastructure investment and responsible development are essential to North Dakota's economic future. But attracting that investment requires fair, consistent, and predictable practices that give businesses confidence to move forward.

GNDC recently submitted a letter to a township board expressing concern about the broader consequences of development moratoriums and what they mean for our state's competitiveness.

We recognize that development requires thoughtful consideration, local engagement, and responsible planning. Investments should enhance the communities where North Dakotans choose to live and work. But the process must be consistent. We cannot expect businesses to invest in our state if the rules change midway through the game.

Sweeping moratoriums do more than pause projects. They create uncertainty, delay investment, and risk sending opportunities elsewhere. Those missed opportunities can have lasting consequences for local businesses, communities, and our state's ability to compete. Our reputation and word mean something.

GNDC would send this letter ten times over if necessary. Our hope is that we won't have to. We would rather see communities and developers working together to move responsible projects forward than see opportunities shut down before they can be fully considered.

At our recent Policy Summit, Arik Spencer, GNDC’s CEO and President spoke about North Dakota's business climate as a house of cards, carefully constructed through strong resources, sound policies, and decades of work. Each piece contributes to our competitive advantage. Sweeping moratoriums risk pulling out a card that causes far more than one project to fall.

North Dakota has worked too hard to build a strong business climate to risk losing ground one decision at a time.

[See GNDC's letter]