{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=FF5DA5E3-B49B-4E48-856F-287D7F4E7BDE", "Heitkamp: Army Corps Contract Marks Start of Federal F-M Diversion Construction", "2016-12-06", "2016", "2016-12", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a staunch advocate for flood protections throughout North Dakota, today announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded the first contract to begin construction on the Fargo-Moorhead diversion project.\r\nThe $46 million contract for Ames Construction will include construction of the diversion inlet control structure south of Horace \u2013 a concrete structure with three gates to regulate flows into the diversion channel.\r\n\u201cToday\u2019s contract marks the start of federal construction for the Fargo-Moorhead diversion \u2013 a critical project I\u2019ve long pushed for to keep this region safe,\u201d said Heitkamp. \u201cAfter years of pressing for strong, permanent flood protections in the Red River Valley, the contract the Army Corps of Engineers awarded today is a milestone to celebrate. As the F-M diversion moves forward, I\u2019ll keep doing everything I can to\u00a0support this project \u2013 as well as other North Dakota flood protection projects \u2013 so they continue getting the federal support needed to help protect our communities.\u201d\r\nIn October, Heitkamp met with Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney in her ongoing push to guarantee the Red River Valley gets the permanent flood protections the area needs. Heitkamp updated Mahoney on her work to forge a path forward that secures Fargo flood protections \u2013 including a conversation she had with U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shaun Donovan, pressing him on the need for continued federal support.\r\nHeitkamp has also continued working to include federal funds for the diversion in future spending bills, as well as pushing for diversion support in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 next work plan like she did last year.\r\nIn July, the Army Corps and local leaders signed an agreement to initiate construction of the Fargo-Moorhead diversion \u2013 a project Heitkamp has fought to make happen. In the U.S. Senate, she pushed to secure federal resources in the year-end spending bill for the Army Corps to implement new construction starts. This year, Heitkamp successfully pressed Army Corps and OMB leaders for flood protections and a new Fargo construction start in the Corps\u2019 work plan.\r\nHeitkamp has consistently worked to secure federal support for lasting flood protections in the Red River Valley by:\r\n\r\n \r\nBringing local and federal officials together to support the Fargo-Moorhead diversion project.\u00a0In May 2015, Heitkamp\u00a0met with city officials from Fargo and Moorhead\u00a0to discuss mutual efforts to push top officials from the Army Corps and OMB on using public-private partnerships to advance the project. Soon after,\u00a0Heitkamp spoke with OMB Director Donovan\u00a0to urge him to take action so the diversion project could continue to move forward. In total, Heitkamp spoke with Donovan four times in the last year \u2013 each time pressing him about the critical importance of federal support for this project.\u00a0Last fall, Heitkamp and Lieutenant General Bostick met with the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Authority to discuss permanent, comprehensive flood protections during his first-ever visit to Fargo. And this October, Heitkamp spoke with OMB Director Donovan again to press him on the need for continued federal support.\r\n \r\n \r\nPassing legislation securing flood protection infrastructure projects.\u00a0In June 2014, the President signed into law the bipartisan bill\u00a0Heitkamp pushed for\u00a0\u2013 the\u00a0Water Resources Reform and Development Act\u00a0(WRRDA)\u00a0\u2013 which supports water infrastructure projects in North Dakota including permanent flood protection for more than 200,000 residents in Fargo and surrounding area through the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion project.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=FF5DA5E3-B49B-4E48-856F-287D7F4E7BDE"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0931980796158314, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}