Prepare for the oil boom

The Daily Republic, Mitchell (S.D.): It’s good to see South Dakota leaders working in advance to prepare for what many expect will be an oil boom in this state.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard spent time recently setting up working groups that will study what will happen if North Dakota’s oil boom spreads south and crosses South Dakota’s border.

One of the groups will predict the size and location of possible exploration and production, and the other will look at how the infrastructure in northwest South Dakota can handle the possible influx of people, machinery and pollution.

All indications are that South Dakota will be next, and could experience some of the effects — both good and bad — that North Dakota is now experiencing.

Yes, the North Dakota boom has been an economic windfall for that state. We hear that the state coffers are bulging.

We also hear that good folks are being crowded out of places like Williston and Dickinson as thousands of workers come in to work the oil fields. Basic services and governmental agencies are stretched thin.

Do we think South Dakota’s possible boom will be as big as North Dakota’s? No, we don’t, but that probably won’t stop people from coming and giving it a try.