05.06.20

Hoeven: Authorization for Minot Region Flood Protection Included in Senate Water Infrastructure Bill

Senator Funded Feasibility Study & Secured Signed Chief’s Report, Making Project Eligible for Authorization

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee advanced water infrastructure legislation that includes authorization for flood protection in the Minot region. This is a key step in advancing the construction of the project’s fourth phase and comes as a result of the signed chief’s report, which Hoeven worked to finalize. The senator hosted Army Corps of Engineers Chief Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite in Minot last year for the report signing ceremony. Hoeven thanked the Senate EPW Committee, including Senator Kevin Cramer, for approving the bill today.

“Securing a project authorization for flood protection in the Souris River Valley is critical, and we remain hard at work to move this authorization through Congress as soon as possible, which will enable federal funding in future Army Corps work plans,” Hoeven said. “Phase four will tie together the first three phases of the project, providing permanent protection for 60 percent of the region. At the same time, we continue our efforts to identify and secure funding sources for the project’s remaining phases.”

SECURING A SIGNED CHIEF’S REPORT

Hoeven serves as a member of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee, where he secured a total of $1.3 million for the Minot region’s feasibility study. Following this, Hoeven pressed Lt. Gen. Semonite, including leading a delegation letter to him, to sign the Chief’s report to approve the study. This was a necessary step to make the project eligible for congressional authorization, which is required for federal funding.

ADVANCING FUTURE PHASES

Following the signing ceremony, Hoeven brought together a wide range of federal, state and local officials for a meeting in Minot to help identify funding sources to build the future phases of the region’s flood protection project. Hoeven is working through his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to ensure that once the first four phases of the project are complete, there will be funding in place to deliver flood protection for the region. The upcoming phases include:

  • Phase 5 – a levee tieback system in northeast Minot.
  • Phase 6 – the downtown floodwall, South Roosevelt Park floodwall and levee and South Valker Road levee. 
  • Phases 7 and 8 – the North Roosevelt levee, North Valker Road levee, 27th Street diversion and Keller levee.

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