North Dakota "Man Camp" banned

In our continuing coverage of the Bakken Shale oil boom and its attendant difficulties, we reprint the following item from today's MinnPost, delivered to us by The Iron Ranger, who looks out for these things. The town in the story is located about 150 miles from the Rolfsrud Ranch in North Dakota, but the story illustrates the stunning effects of the crush of eager workers in this small, quiet Peace Garden state.

Single ladies may be the only ones interested 
in the “man camps” of North Dakota 

The AP says: Concerned that a Colorado company appeared to be turning an old school building in the tiny town of Almont into dormitory-style housing for oil workers, city officials called a rare special meeting and banned such so-called man camps. 

The ordinance passed Monday in Almont — a town of about 100 people 35 miles southwest of Bismarck — illustrates a growing tension in western North Dakota, where temporary housing has risen from the plains to accommodate a massive oil boom.

Mountrail and Williams counties also recently put moratoriums on new crew camps. In Almont, rumors were enough to spur the council to take pre-emptive action amid concerns that the camp could overwhelm resources. 

Residents had noticed "bed after bed after bed" being moved into the building after it sold last month, City Auditor Lynne Jacobson said. "We would lose the quality of life here," Jacobson said. "We like our quiet little town." 

Almont has no police force and boasts little more than a bar, a post office and a gas station that's only open during bank hours, Jacobson said. The last reported crime in Almont was two years ago and involved car windows being broken by vandals. The man camp would mean traffic would increase — and so could crime.

"I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking, 'Deadwood' with pickup trucks."