News Cut: January 23, 2011 Archive

How oil is changing North Dakota

Posted at 10:22 AM on January 23, 2011 by Bob Collins
Filed under: Energy

In any boom, it takes some time for small towns to adjust. This week, a five-part documentary on cable examines the effect of the North Dakota oil boom on tiny Parshall, North Dakota, the Fargo Forum reports today.

"When you hear the story on the surface, you think it's just all good fortune and very easy, and I think it was much more complicated than just that," the documentary's executive producer says.

MPR's Dan Gunderson staked out another town in the region last fall, and found that as the revenues rise, so do the rents. Anytime you have winners, you probably also have losers. Some people have found work, but not an affordable place to live. Others have left town.

And because of infrastructure improvements, many towns are taking on long-term debt to expand now.