releases: https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=23F0E176-F3B5-4605-8F76-9CE1BFA5A685
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=23F0E176-F3B5-4605-8F76-9CE1BFA5A685 | Heitkamp: Bipartisan Water Resources Bill Includes Wins for Devils Lake Flood Protection & FM Diversion | 2018-10-10 | 2018 | 2018-10 | Democrat | House | ND | Heidi Heitkamp | H001069 | www.heitkamp.senate.gov | legacy | Bill Also Includes Support for FM Diversion, Heitkamp's Legislation to Help Small and Rural Water Systems Meet Federal Wastewater Rules WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today joined a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate to pass a comprehensive water resources bill that includes several provisions she fought for, including strengthened support for critical water infrastructure projects in Devils Lake, Fargo, and across rural North Dakota. The bill now goes to the President's desk to be signed into law. The bipartisan legislation includes Heitkamp's provision to provide federal funding for long-term maintenance and operation costs related to the permanent levee protecting the City of Devils Lake and the surrounding area from flood waters.Additionally, the bill includes a provision that provides authority to build flood protections on several deed-restricted properties as part of the construction of the Fargo-Moorhead (FM) Area Diversion Project. The Lake Region and the Red River Valley have seen firsthand the immense devastation a flood can cause to a community. As a result, North Dakotans are very aware of the need to advance permanent flood protection that defends our homes and businesses from future disasters, said Heitkamp. Today, Congress passed a strong, bipartisan water resources package, which includes my provision that I fought to include which would hold the federal government accountable for paying its fair share to maintain the Devils Lake embankment. Additionally, the bill includes my amendment to allow the FM Diversion to overcome bureaucratic hurdles to build the infrastructure necessary to advance a viable flood mitigation strategy in the region. Our state has experienced decades of challenges related to flooding and keeping our rural water clean, and this bill will ease financial burdens, keep families safe, and give residents much-needed peace of mind when waters start to rise. From 1993 to 2011, Devils Lake rose more than 30 feet and quadrupled in size, underscoring the urgent need to maintain the levee protecting the city. Under Heitkamp's provision, the federal government could cover up to 100 percent of the embankment's associated operations and maintenance costs, preventing the city from needing to use local tax dollars to fund all necessary upkeep costs. Her legislative fix would also help pay for future repairs, such as the replacement of aging water pumps along the embankment. In February, Heitkamp wrote a letter to the leaders of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee urging them to prioritize long-term maintenance costs of the Devils Lake levee in the upcoming water resources bill. Heitkamp requested that the federal government assist the community in covering the extraordinary burden of long-term maintenance, particularly as the project was built under emergency conditions and is now permanent. Thebipartisanbillalso includes Heitkamp's provision to allow the construction of flood protections on several deed-restricted properties in the Fargo area. Due to recent changes made to the FM Diversion Project following the work of the Governors' Task Force, it was determined that several properties that were otherwise deed-restricted now were necessary to construct the project. Heitkamp's fix is broad enough to cover other Fargo properties needed for permanent protections that are currently deed-restricted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), such as the potential sites of future levees. Heitkamp crafted and fought for this provision following discussions with Fargo-Moorhead community leaders, who strongly advocated for this proposed authority. Heitkamp has also held calls this month with Assistant Secretary of the Army-Civil Works R.D. James, the top civilian official overseeing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney regarding funding for the diversion project in the Corps' Fiscal Year 2018 work plan. And the2018 Water Resources Development Act also includes provisions from Heitkamp's bill to fund training and assistance to improve wastewater treatment in small and rural communities. Heitkamp's provision would provide up to $25 million a year over five years to provide wastewater technical assistance to community water systems serving small, rural, and tribal communities. Heitkamp introduced theSmall and Rural Community Clean Water Technical Assistance Actlast yearwith U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS).The bipartisan bill builds on theirlegislation that was signed into lawto make sure rural towns have federal assistance to offset the cost of complying with federal rules under the Clean Water Act. Background Heitkamp has long fought to make sure the federal government lives up to its responsibilities and assists the Fargo area in recovering from past flooding, while also helping protect communities throughout North Dakota, like Devils Lake, from future floods. In July 2018, Heitkamp convened Ramsey Country officials and Devils Lake community leaders to discuss ongoing flood protection efforts in the Lake Region, and she also highlighted her provision to fund maintenance and operation costs of the Devils Lake embankment. In April 2017, Heitkamp joined Fargo leaders, the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Authority, and the Army Corps tocelebrate the groundbreakingof the F-M Diversion. The Army Corpsawarded its first construction contract for the diversion in2016 after Heitkampsuccessfully secured federal support fromOMB and Army Corps leaders fora Fargo construction start, in addition to critical federal funding. In October 2016, Heitkampmet with Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney in her ongoing push to guarantee the Red River Valley gets the permanent flood protectionsthe area needs. Heitkamp updated Mahoney on her work to forge a path forward that secures Fargo flood protections, including a conversation she had with then-OMB director Shaun Donovan, pressing him on the need for continued federal support. In July 2016, Heitkamp joined officials in Fargo for the signing of an agreement to initiate construction for theFargo-Moorhead diversion. Heitkamp has also consistently worked with FEMA to resolve issues impacting North Dakota flood protection infrastructure. In April,Heitkamp announced that the FEMA officially stated that Valley City can maintain its floodwall. The decision from FEMA was the result of a fix Heitkamp wrote andsuccessfully includedin the funding bill Congress passed in March 2018 that allowed Valley City to keep in place the existing floodwall. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |