Public Service commissioners Brian Kalk and Kevin Cramer should recuse themselves from decisions regarding a South Heart coal mine project because of campaign contributions they received, four organizations said in letters hand delivered to the two today.
Mary Hodell of Neighbors United says the conflict comes because they accepted contributions from parties with direct financial interests and therefore can’t make unbiased decisions.
Along with Neighbors United, the Dakota Resource Council, the National Parks Conservation Association and the Dacotah Chapter of Sierra Club are named on the letter.
They cite a PSC policy: “A conflict would arise when the commissioner, the employee or agent, any member or his immediate family, his partner or an individual firm or organization which employs or is about employ the commissioner, commission employee, his immediate family member, or partner has a financial or other interest directly and substantially affected by the commission decision.”
The commissioners' assistants said they are at meetings in Carrington this afternoon and therefore were not immediately available for comment.
Mary Hodell of Neighbors United says the conflict comes because they accepted contributions from parties with direct financial interests and therefore can’t make unbiased decisions.
They cite a PSC policy: “A conflict would arise when the commissioner, the employee or agent, any member or his immediate family, his partner or an individual firm or organization which employs or is about employ the commissioner, commission employee, his immediate family member, or partner has a financial or other interest directly and substantially affected by the commission decision.”
The commissioners' assistants said they are at meetings in Carrington this afternoon and therefore were not immediately available for comment.
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