06.26.21

Hoeven Helps Dedicate Two Phases of Minot Region's Flood Protection, Commemorates Disaster's 10th Anniversary

Senator Outlines Successful Efforts to Authorize Project’s Fourth Phase & Extend NDRC Deadline, Continues Working to Fund Future Phases

MINOT, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today marked the completion of two phases of the Minot region’s flood protection project and joined the community in commemorating the 10th anniversary of the historic 2011 flood. The MI-2 and MI-3 phases, also known as Napa Valley and Forest Road, respectively, include nearly 9,000 feet of earthen levees, 1,600 feet of stream bank stabilization and two pumping stations, among other features. Hoeven emphasized how the phased approach to developing the flood protection is enabling the project to move forward in a more timely fashion, and outlined his work to advance these efforts by:

  • Authorizing the project’s fourth phase, which will tie together the previous phases and provide protection to 60 percent of the region’s residents.
  • Preserving access to Minot’s National Disaster Resiliency Competition (NDRC) award.
    • Hoeven helped secure $74.3 million for Minot under the NDRC program.
  • Identifying and securing funding for the project’s future phases.
    • Hoeven previously provided $117.3 million in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to help advance the project’s phases.

In addition to flood protection, Hoeven has been working to advance additional infrastructure for the community. Yesterday, the senator announced that he helped secure a $16.75 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant to construct passing lanes along 165 miles of US Route 52 between Carrington and Kenmare. The new passing lanes will significantly benefit drivers traveling to or from Minot, whether heading north or south.

“Today’s dedication is a major milestone for flood protection in the Minot region, and we appreciate the dedicated work of everyone involved in bringing these phases to completion,” said Hoeven. “Now, with the project authorization in place, the fourth phase can move forward and deliver flood protection to the majority of the region’s residents. At the same time, there is more work to be done, and we remain committed to funding and building the remainder of this project and delivering permanent flood protection for the entire region as soon as possible.”

This follows Hoeven, along with Senator Cramer, introducing a Senate resolution to commemorate the 2011 flood, outlining the extraordinary conditions that led to the disaster, the scale of its impact, the resilience of the region’s residents and the ongoing efforts to build permanent flood protection for the Souris River Valley.

Securing Project Authorization

Hoeven successfully worked to include the project’s authorization in the year-end legislation passed by Congress in December, enabling the fourth phase to receive federal funding. 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 by securing more than $1.3 million for the project’s feasibility study, among other efforts. 

Hoeven hosted Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, then-Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers, in Minot in 2019 for the report signing ceremony and further secured support for the project with Maj. Gen. Scott Spellmon during his confirmation process as the Corps’ new Chief. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, of which Senator Kevin Cramer is a member, also approved legislation last year that included the project authorization. 

Extending the NDRC Deadline

The year-end legislation also included a one-year extension for Minot and other recipients to use funds awarded under the NDRC. This will help ensure the City of Minot is able to fully implement their plans to recover from previous disasters, protect against future risks and improve long-term community resiliency. The extension aligns with bipartisan legislation Hoeven had previously introduced to extend the NDRC deadline through September 30, 2025.

When the NDRC was established in 2013, Hoeven worked to ensure Minot would be eligible to apply for the competitive funding. Hoeven then met with Minot city and Ward County officials to brief them about the NDRC and wrote a letter of support for the city’s application. As a result of these efforts, Minot was awarded $74.3 million under the program. 

Funding the Project’s Future Phases 

Hoeven has been making the case to the Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agencies that the 2011 flood posed a significant national security risk, as it inundated and damaged roadways that the 91st Missile Wing uses to access its fleet of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Accordingly, through his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the senator is urging federal officials to work with him and local leaders to identify and secure funding sources, like the CDBG-DR and grant programs at the DoD, to help address these issues. 

These efforts build on meetings Hoeven organized in 2018 and 2019 with a wide range of federal, state and local officials to ensure Minot can access federal support when constructing the upcoming phases of the flood protection project, which 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.

 

-###-