North Dakota Ag Connection - Funding to Advance Comprehensive Flood Production in FY2020

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Funding to Advance Comprehensive Flood Production in FY2020
North Dakota Ag Connection - 09/16/2019

Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Committee, reported he secured important provisions to advance comprehensive flood protection projects in North Dakota in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, which was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee late last week.

"As a member of the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Committee, I've been working to ensure that the FY20 Energy and Water Appropriations bill includes strong funding to advance North Dakota priorities," said Hoeven. "We were not only able to secure strong Corps Construction funding for flood control projects, but also a new account with funding for P3 projects, which will help us to advance comprehensive flood protection for the Fargo-Moorhead region."

Hoeven secured the following priorities in the Senate Appropriation Committee's FY20 Energy and Water funding bill, which will now head to the full Senate for consideration:

- Construction Funding: Provides a total of $233 million in funding above the President's request for construction of flood control projects. These funds are not allocated to a specific project and will be available to support Corps priorities in the FY20 work plan, which will be released approximately 30 days after the FY20 Energy and Water appropriations bill is signed into law. This increase will empower the Corps to support more of its priorities, like comprehensive flood protection for the Fargo-Moorhead region.

- Funding for P3 Projects: Provides $100 million for construction in a new account for "Alternative Delivery" projects, including public-private-partnership (P3) projects and split delivery projects. Fargo-Moorhead would be eligible for funding from this account in addition to the construction funding the bill provides above the budget request for flood control projects.

o This is a result of Hoeven's work to direct inclusion of P3s in the President's budget. P3s represent a new type of financing model for the Army Corps of Engineers and have not been included in previous budget requests.

- Small water infrastructure projects: Provides $80 million for infrastructure funding available nation-wide for small water infrastructure improvements. In the past, funding in this account supported infrastructure upgrades in places like LaMoure.

- Corps recreation facilities: Includes report language directing the Corps to work with local stakeholders on a long-term sustainable plan to restore and maintain recreational facilities near Lake Sakakawea and Lake Oahe.

- Provides an additional $125 million for the Rural Water account, for which the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program-Garrison Diversion Unit can compete to help offset the $57 million already spent state dollars on the Biota Water Treatment facility.

- Includes Pick-Sloan Ability to Pay Report Language asking that fees for federal water remain consistent with the 1944 Flood Control Act as these federal irrigation contracts are up for renewal. North Dakota irrigators utilizing Pick-Sloan are subject to rate increases, which this report language helps mitigate.

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