Message From Kent Conrad
Dear Friends,
Given your interest in water issues impacting North Dakota, I wanted to update you on recent action in Congress.
This week, the Senate passed the fiscal year 2006 Energy and Water Development appropriations conference report,
which includes funding for vital flood protection and water supply projects in North Dakota.
The bill includes $40 million to complete the Grand Forks flood control project. In the last fourteen years, no flood
protection project of similar size has proceeded as quickly as this project. This final payment gets us over the finish line, providing
residents and businesses protection from flooding threats from the Red River.
Additionally, the bill includes $27.59 million for municipal, rural, and industrial water supply projects. Despite
a significant federal investment over the past 10 years, there are still many communities that lack access to safe, clean drinking water.
This funding will help with the continued construction of the Northwest Area Water Supply and other water supply projects across the state
and on the four Indian reservations.
Finally, the bill includes funding for a number of other water projects across
the state:
- $1.1 million to purchase flowage easements in the Buford-Trenton Irrigation District near Williston
- $385,000 for construction of the Fargo-Ridgewood flood control project
- $188,000 for addressing sedimentation along the Missouri River
- $250,000 to control noxious weeds around Lake Sakakawea.
I was pleased to support passage of the bill because it provides an important investment to meet our state’s water needs.
For information on additional issues of concern, please visit my website,
www.conrad.senate.gov.
Sincerely,
KENT CONRAD