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To : U.S . Departmen t o fTransportatio n r Offic e o fth e Secretaryo fTransportatio n 40 0 Sevent h Stree t S

W Washingto n D

C 2059 0 ATTENTION : Genera l Counse l 

## SlO-091015-00 7

REQUES TFO R CHANG E O F TIM E ZON E MERCE R COUNTY , NORT H DAKOT A Lyi e L . Latimer , bein g firs t dul ysworn , hereb ystate s tha t h e i s Chairma n o fth e Boar d o fCount y Commissioner s fo rMerce rCounty , th e highes t politica l authorit yfo rth e are a subjec t o fthi s request , and , i n suc h capacit yrespectfull yrequest s th e U.S . Departmen t o fTransportatio n mov e Merce rCounty , Nort h Dakot a fro m th e Mountai n Tim e Zort e t o th e Centra l Tim e Zone . Thi s reques t i s base d o n th e convenienc e o fcommerce , fo rth e followin g reasons : 1 . Virtuall yal l th e supplie s fo rbusinesse s i n Merce rCount yar e shippe d fro m th e Bismarck Manda n are a (sixt y(60 ) mile s fro m th e count yseat ) an d othe rpoint s eas t whic h ar e i n th e Centra l Tim e Zone . 2 . Virtuall yal l televisio n an d radi o broadcast s com e fro m Bismarck , whic h i s th e metropolita n trad e cente ro fth e area . Als o th e Bismarc k Tribun e i s the , mos t widel ycirculate d dail y newspape rservin g th e County . 3 . Merce rCount yha s n o regula rpassenge rtrave l servic e providers . Resident s normall ytrave l t o Bismarc k

fo rbu s an d rai l service . Th e neares t commercia l airpor t wit h passenge rairlin e servic e i s th e Bismarc k Airport . 4 . Som e o fth e resident s o f Merce rCount ycommut e t o th e Bismarck-Manda n are a fo r employment . Amajo rportio n o fth e resident s o fMerce rCount yar e employe d i n th e coa l energyindustry . W e hav e tw o (2 ) majo rcoa l mines , Dakot a Westmorelan d an d Nort h America n Coal , an d fou r(4 ) powe rplan t facilities . Basi n Electri cLeian d Old s Station , Basi n Electri cAntelop e Valle yStation , Coyot e Statio n an d Grea t Rive rEnergy . Merce rCount yi s als o hom e t o th e Dakot a Gasificatio n Compan ytha t make s syntheti cnatura l ga s an d othe r product s fro m coal . Th e mai n office s fo rthes e facilities , wit h th e exceptio n o fDakot a Westmoreland , ar e i n Bismarc k an d ar e i n th e Centra l Tim e Zone . 5 . Th e coa l industr yi s a majo rfacto ro fth e econom yo fth e County . W e als o hav e a considerabl e agricultura l base . Th e count yexperience d considerabl e growt h i n th e coa l industr yi n th e 1970' s an d i s no wfacin g man ychange s relatin g t o clea n energ yinitiative s tha t ar e diversifyin g coa l usag e an d generatin g economi cdevelopment , a s wel l a s man y unrelate d smal l industries . Agricultura l industries , as wel l as th e coa l industry , rel yo n supplie s fro m th e Bismarck-Manda n marke t area . 6 . Man yresident s trave l regularl yt o Bismarck-Manda n fo rrecreation , healthcare , an d othe r activities . Th e highwa ysyste m linkin g u s t o th e Bismarck-Manda n are a i s i n goo d conditio n allowin g regula rtrave l t o an d fro m th e area .Thi s matte rwa s las t pu t t o th e resident s o fMerce rCount yo n th e Jun e 13* ^ 200 0 primar y electio n ballot , a t whic h tim e voter s favore d th e chang e t o Centra l Tim e b ya vot e o f1,18 0 i n ftivoro fth e chang e an d 1,03 8 opposin g th e change . Th e count ysubsequentl ypetitione d t o chang e t o th e Centra l Tim e Zon e an d th e reques t wa s denie d (Federa l Registe r/ Vol . 68 , No . 17 4 / Tuesday , Septembe r9 , 200 3 / Propose d Rules) . Th e matte rwa s recentl ybrough t bac k t o th e commissio n b yloca l government , industr yan d educatio n leaders , wh o reques t th e matte rb e petitione d fo rrevie wthu s allowin g publi cinput . Geographicall yMerce rCount yi s wel l suite d t o b e i n th e Centra l Tim e Zone . I t i s adjacen t t o th e Centra l Tim e Zon e o n th e east , nort h an d sout h boundarie s o fth e county . Nort h o f Merce rCounty , th e Centra l Tim e Zon e extend s wes t t o th e Montan a Border . Th e For t Berthol d India n Reservation , i n northwes t Merce rCounty , i s als o i n th e Centra l Tim e Zone . Th e contac t perso n fo rmor e informatio n is: Jame s O . Johnso n Merce rCount yState' s Attorne y P O Box3 9 Stanto n N D 58571-003 9 Telephone : (701 ) 745-351 8 

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O n behal fo fth e Merce rCount yCommission , I respectfull yas k tha t th e U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n ac t o n ou rreques t a s soo n a s convenientl ypossible . Date d a t Stanton , Nort h Dakota , thi s ^ da yo ff)c-Ti>3ti ^ , 2 0 o ^

. LyI e L. Latimer , Chairma n Merce rCount yCommissio n ATTEST : 

# xX^/ ^ Mdntq/ yErhard t Merce rCount yAudito r