ND Board Awards $9M in Oil Research Grants

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota's Land Board has awarded $9.6 million in grants to school districts and colleges in western North Dakota's oil-producing region.

Officials say the grants are part of a program aimed at helping communities deal with the effects of rapid energy development.

Officials say $5.6 million has been awarded to 24 K-12 schools and $4 million is slated for colleges in Williston, Minot and Dickinson.

The Land Board will award a total of $240 million in impact grants through 2015 to counties experiencing rapid growth from the state's oil boom.

The Land Board is headed by Gov. Jack Dalrymple.