WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week introduced bipartisan legislation to support more reliable, drought-resistant water supplies in North Dakota, while helping to fulfill federal compensation that was promised to the state and tribes upon the construction of the Garrison Dam and Oahe Dam. Specifically, Hoeven’s bill would:
· Amend the Dakota Water Resources Act (DWRA) to increase authorizations under the Municipal, Rural, and Industrial (MR&I) water supply grant program for North Dakota and the five Tribal Nations in the state.
o North Dakota will reach the state MR&I authorization ceiling at the end of fiscal year (FY) 2024.
o An increase is necessary to complete ongoing water supply projects, including the Northwest Area Water Supply Project (NAWS) and the Eastern North Dakota Alternate Water Supply Project (ENDAWS).
· Ensure that biota water treatment (BWT) costs are fully accounted for, which are rightly the responsibility of the federal government.
o Although the DWRA authorized funding for non-reimbursable costs related to BWT facilities, no authorization ceiling was outlined.
o As a result, North Dakota and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) have been forced to allocate significant MR&I resources to cover federal responsibilities under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.
Hoeven also discussed the legislation at a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee and secured the support of BOR Commissioner Camille Touton for the measure. Hoeven twice hosted Touton in North Dakota to review progress on the state’s water supply projects, where he outlined to the commissioner the issues with the MR&I program. The legislation comes as the result of Hoeven’s work with Touton, BOR, Garrison Diversion and North Dakota stakeholders to identify and advance solutions to these issues.