10.13.11

Senate Committee Agrees to Conrad-Hoeven Request for Flood Hearings

Environment and Public Works Will Review Events Leading Up to North Dakota Floods

Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven announced today that a key Senate Committee has agreed to their request to review and analyze the events leading up to this year’s epic floods in North Dakota and across the nation. 

"We need to get a better understanding of what caused this flooding and what more can be done to ensure it never occurs again.  The committee will take a close look at the serious floods that occurred across the nation this year, including in both Minot and Bismarck/Mandan," the Senators said in a joint statement. 

On Tuesday, October 18, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing entitled "A Review of the 2011 Floods and the Conditions of the Nation's Flood Control Systems." 

Earlier this year, Senators Conrad and Hoeven were joined by other Missouri River Basin Senators in sending a letter to Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK), calling for a formal investigation into the Army Corps management of the nation's flood control system. 

The North Dakota Senators noted their concerns with the management of the Missouri River in the lead up to the unprecedented flood in Bismarck/Mandan. They also expressed concern about the timeliness of the Corps and National Weather Service warnings given to individuals, businesses, and state and local governments that a flood would occur in Minot.