North Dakota's Public Service Commission
wants to participate in a federal lawsuit that accuses two
commissioners of taking improper campaign contributions.
Two environmental groups have filed the lawsuit against federal
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. It says Salazar should take away
the North Dakota agency's responsibilities for regulating coal
mining. Instead, the federal government would do the job.
The lawsuit says Commissioners Brian Kalk and Kevin Cramer have
taken campaign donations from the coal industry. It says that's
reason enough to disqualify the commission from regulating coal
mining.
Cramer says the commission needs to take part in the lawsuit
because North Dakota should keep control of coal mine regulation.
Sierra Club spokesman Wayde Schafer says taxpayers shouldn't
have to foot the bill to defend the ethical choices of Cramer and
Kalk.
