12.20.11

Hoeven: Corps' Plan Approval Important Step Forward

BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today said that the ratification of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Chiefs Report is an important step in moving the Fargo-Moorhead flood protection project forward. Acting Chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Major General Merdith W.B. Temple signed the report this morning.

“The Army Corps of Engineers and the cities of Fargo-Moorhead have put a tremendous amount of work into creating a comprehensive plan that will provide much needed flood protection for the area. Its approval marks another step forward in the process of moving this plan from paper to reality, and now we can push forward in pursuing federal authorization and funding for this project,” Hoeven said.

“The growing community of Fargo and Cass County has enormous potential. We need these protections in place to provide certainty and security for families and businesses whose homes and livelihoods are threatened by an unpredictable river. However, we also need to make sure we continue to do everything we can to reduce the impact the permanent protection measures will make on existing homes, businesses and land, and we need to work to find cost savings along the way,” he added.

Hoeven has worked with local and federal officials to push for the Corps to approve the Fargo-Moorhead permanent flood protection plan, including meeting with the Corps’ Civil Works Review Board. Additionally, Hoeven and the North Dakota congressional delegation wrote to President Obama asking him to support the Fargo-Moorhead region’s efforts and to include $30 million in his Fiscal Year 2013 budget to advance the project.  Last week, Congress appropriated an additional $11.4 million for the flood protection project.