North Dakota Slated to Receive Large Boost in Water Project Funding, Dorgan Says

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NORTH DAKOTA SLATED TO RECEIVE LARGE BOOST IN WATER PROJECT FUNDING, DORGAN SAYS

Bush Administration delaying decision of Red River Valley Water Project

U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) said Tuesday that North Dakota water construction funding for this year was slashed by $46 million in President Bush's proposed budget. But Dorgan said the Senate appropriations subcommittee he chairs rejected the President's proposal, restored the funding, and added $2 million more to meet the state's water needs.

This will be the second year that Dorgan has boosted North Dakota's water funding levels to triple the amount the state has typically received over the last decade. "These projects need to be kicked into high gear and get completed," Dorgan said.

Dorgan, who serves as Chairman of the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, said the funding has been approved by the full Senate Appropriations Committee and is awaiting final action, which is likely to come by the end of February.

The Senator also said today that the two largest water projects on North Dakota's drawing board are awaiting action. The Northwest Area Water Supply (NAWS) Project is awaiting court action on the water screening and filtering process that will be required, and the Red River Valley Water Supply project is stalled because the Bush Administration is holding up a Record of Decision. Dorgan said he will chair a Senate hearing in North Dakota on the Red River Valley project once the Record of Decision is released.

The Senator's comments came at a roundtable discussion he chaired today in Bismarck with federal, state and local officials and citizens working on water projects in the state.

"The federal government made a promise that, in return for allowing a permanent flood in the middle of our state to control floods downstream, we would get funding so we could use that water for our own water needs. The government hasn't fulfilled that promise, but I'm intent on seeing that it does," Dorgan said.

Last year, when Dorgan became Chairman of the subcommittee, he tripled the amount of money that came to North Dakota to build water infrastructure.

"These projects are essential to our effort to deliver good-quality water throughout the state, as well as to have the water necessary for continued economic growth," Dorgan said. "We've been patient long enough. These projects need to be completed."

The $70 million that Dorgan has secured this year for North Dakota projects will accelerate work on regional water projects, NAWS, the Southwest Pipeline, South Central and North Central water projects, and water projects on North Dakota's Indian reservations. In addition, Dorgan has added another $10 million in water project investments this year through a new North Dakota water infrastructure program that he developed and authorized since becoming Chairman of the Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee.

Dorgan was joined at today's roundtable discussion by Senator Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Congressman Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.).

"This is a team effort. With Senator Dorgan as Chairman of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman Pomeroy's leadership in the House and my chairmanship of the Budget Committee, we have been able to secure a record investment in water projects in the state," said Senator Conrad. "Even with this success, more work lies ahead of us. We will continue to work to ensure federal resources are directed to meet the growing water needs here in North Dakota."

"North Dakota has diverse water challenges - depending on where you are, we either have too little or too much," Congressman Pomeroy said. "Senator Dorgan, Senator Conrad and I fight hard to address these water challenges, and I look forward to working with the next president to ensure that the federal government adequately invests in North Dakota's water needs."

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