Conrad Urges EPA Support on Devils Lake Outlet

Conrad Urges EPA Support on Devils Lake Outlet

Senator Briefs Officials on Canadian Government's Tactics to Stall Vital Project

Senator Kent Conrad met with the top official from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to discuss the flooding crisis in the Devils Lake basin and stressed the ecological safeguards in place as part of an outlet to drain the lake's rising water.

"North Dakota has taken every possible measure in the design and development of this outlet to ensure that water quality downstream is protected," Senator Conrad said. "The water from Devils Lake is safe. The real danger lies in blocking the progress of this outlet."

In the most recent in a series of meetings about Devils Lake, Senator Conrad briefed Stephen Johnson, the new Administrator for the EPA, on the latest tactics by the Canadian government to delay progress of the Devils Lake outlet.

Canadian officials are now pressing for a review of the nearly completed outlet by the International Joint Commission (IJC), a bi-national panel charged with overseeing cross boundary water issues.

Senator Conrad explained to Johnson that Canada rejected a U.S.-sought IJC referral in 2002 on the proposed federally-funded outlet. He also noted that a recent study reported that IJC reviews took an average of 8 ½ years to complete.

"We cannot delay this outlet any longer," Senator Conrad said. "Every day construction is delayed is another day the people and property of the Devils Lake community are put at risk."

http://conrad.senate.gov/~conrad/releases/05/05/2005518C38.html