North Dakota's governor, attorney general and agriculture commissioner are drafting a protest against Minnesota plans to tax carbon dioxide output from North Dakota's coal-fueled electric power stations.

The three officials make up the Industrial Commission, which administers a fund that benefits North Dakota's lignite industry. The commission met privately on Thursday to discuss submitting formal comments to Minnesota's Public Utilities Commission, which is writing new carbon dioxide regulations.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said a comment letter should be completed by Friday. He declined to elaborate on its contents. It will be signed by Stenehjem and the commission's other two members, Gov. John Hoeven and Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson.

"We discussed about what was happening in Minnesota, what has historically happened here in the state of North Dakota on … a very similar issue in the past, and then, what kind of an approach that we need to take," Stenehjem said.

North Dakota's open meetings law allows the Industrial Commission to meet privately to discuss potential litigation. Earlier this year, the North Dakota Legislature set aside $500,000 to finance a possible lawsuit over the issue.

Western North Dakota power plants are among Minnesota's primary suppliers of electricity. The plants get their fuel from nearby coal mines.

Great River Energy, of Elk River, Minn., owns the Stanton and Coal Creek stations, which together generate more than 1,300 megawatts. Otter Tail Power Co., of Fergus Falls, Minn., operates the 414-megawatt Coyote station for itself and three partners, including the Northern Municipal Power Agency of Thief River Falls, Minn.

Burning coal to generate electricity is a primary source of carbon dioxide, which can trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere and contribute to global warming.