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To: U.S. Department of Transportation r 

Office of the Secretary of Transportation 

400 Seventh Street SW 

Washington DC 20590 

ATTENTION: General Counsel 

SlO-091015-007 

REQUEST FOR CHANGE OF TIME ZONE 

MERCER COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA 

Lyie L. Latimer, being first duly sworn, hereby states that he is Chairman of the Board of County 

Commissioners for Mercer County, the highest political authority for the area subject of this request, 

and, in such capacity respectfully requests the U.S. Department of Transportation move Mercer County, 

North Dakota from the Mountain Time Zorte to the Central Time Zone. This request is based on the 

convenience of commerce, for the following reasons: 

1. Virtually all the supplies for businesses in Mercer County are shipped from the BismarckMandan area (sixty (60) miles from the county seat) and other points east which are in the 

Central Time Zone. 

2. Virtually all television and radio broadcasts come from Bismarck, which is the metropolitan 

trade center of the area. Also the Bismarck Tribune is the, most widely circulated daily 

newspaper serving the County. 

3. Mercer County has no regular passenger travel service providers. Residents normally travel 

to Bismarck for bus and rail service. The nearest commercial airport with passenger airline 

service is the Bismarck Airport. 

4. Some of the residents of Mercer County commute to the Bismarck-Mandan area for 

employment. A major portion of the residents of Mercer County are employed in the coal 

energy industry. We have two (2) major coal mines, Dakota Westmoreland and North 

American Coal, and four (4) power plant facilities. Basin Electric Leiand Olds Station, Basin 

Electric Antelope Valley Station, Coyote Station and Great River Energy. Mercer County is 

also home to the Dakota Gasification Company that makes synthetic natural gas and other 

products from coal. The main offices for these facilities, with the exception of Dakota 

Westmoreland, are in Bismarck and are in the Central Time Zone. 

5. The coal industry is a major factor of the economy of the County. We also have a 

considerable agricultural base. The county experienced considerable growth in the coal 

industry in the 1970's and is now facing many changes relating to clean energy initiatives 

that are diversifying coal usage and generating economic development, as well as many 

unrelated small industries. Agricultural industries, as well as the coal industry, rely on 

supplies from the Bismarck-Mandan market area. 

6. Many residents travel regularly to Bismarck-Mandan for recreation, healthcare, and other 

activities. The highway system linking us to the Bismarck-Mandan area is in good condition 

allowing regular travel to and from the area. 
This matter was last put to the residents of Mercer County on the June 13*^ 2000 primary 

election ballot, at which time voters favored the change to Central Time by a vote of 1,180 

in ftivor of the change and 1,038 opposing the change. The county subsequently petitioned 

to change to the Central Time Zone and the request was denied (Federal Register / Vol. 68, 

No. 174 / Tuesday, September 9, 2003 / Proposed Rules). The matter was recently brought 

back to the commission by local government, industry and education leaders, who request 

the matter be petitioned for review thus allowing public input. 

Geographically Mercer County is well suited to be in the Central Time Zone. It is adjacent to 

the Central Time Zone on the east, north and south boundaries of the county. North of 

Mercer County, the Central Time Zone extends west to the Montana Border. The Fort 

Berthold Indian Reservation, in northwest Mercer County, is also in the Central Time Zone. 

The contact person for more information is: 

James O. Johnson 

Mercer County State's Attorney 

PO Box 39 

Stanton ND 58571-0039 

Telephone: (701) 745-3518 

j^i i jc;ii^ir(0 ^I'lo^ 

On behalf of the Mercer County Commission, I respectfully ask that the U.S. Department of 

Transportation act on our request as soon as conveniently possible. 

Dated at Stanton, North Dakota, this ^ day of f)c-Ti>3ti^ , 20 o^ . 

LyIe L. Latimer, Chairman 

Mercer County Commission 

ATTEST: 

xX^/^ 

Mdntq/y Erhardt 

Mercer County Auditor