News Releases
Hoeven, Conrad Introduce Coal Ash Recycling Legislation
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad today introduced the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2011, legislation that will ensure the safe and effective disposal of coal combustion residuals, a byproduct of coal-fired electricity generation that is also recycled as a valuable building material. Under this legislation, states could set up their own permitting program for the management and disposal of coal ash that is based on existing EPA regulations to protect human health … Continue Reading
10.20.11
ND Senators Continue to Push for CDBG Disaster Relief
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven today urged U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan to support additional Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for those impacted by this year's flood disaster in Minot. HUD oversees the CDBG program. "We have seen absolute devastation in Minot this year. They need our help, and they need it now. We need to look at the CDBG program to as an effective, efficient and flexible tool for providing funding for disa… Continue Reading
10.20.11
Delegation Announces More than $3.4 Million in FEMA Grants to Help Electric Co-ops Recover From Flood Damage
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded a total of $3,427,376 in federal funding to two North Dakota electric cooperatives to help them recover from this spring's devastating floods. "Our utilities - as well as our communities - were hit hard by floods this year. This funding will help rebuild the infrastructure at two key electric co-ops and help maintain a reliable source of… Continue Reading
10.19.11
Conrad-Hoeven Bill Boosts Support for Disaster Aid
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven introduced legislation last night calling for an additional $600 million in emergency Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) bringing the total amount of CDBG disaster funds to $1 billion to help communities in North Dakota and across the nation recover from natural disasters this year. "I've been there on the ground in Minot. In Bismarck. In Mandan. I've seen the devastation. Thousands of families lost their homes to these devastating flood… Continue Reading
10.19.11
Hoeven Statement on Phoenix International's Fargo Expansion
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven released the following statement today regarding the expansion of Phoenix International, a John Deere Company, in Fargo. The company broke ground today on a new 90,000-square-foot facility that is expected to be completed by 2012. The company's $22 million expansion will create an estimated 60 new jobs by 2017. "In North Dakota, we've worked hard to create a pro-business environment that both encourages investment in our state and also helps our companies reach… Continue Reading
10.19.11
Hoeven Calls on Corps Division Commander To Follow State Water Commission Recommendations for Lake Sakakawea
WASHINGTON - In a meeting today with Gen. John McMahon, the Army Corps of Engineers' Northwest Division Commander, Senator John Hoeven reiterated his call for the agency to follow the North Dakota State Water Commission's recommendation and create 750,000 acre feet of additional storage capacity in Lake Sakakawea and help to avert possible flooding next spring. Currently, the Corps plans to reduce the surface elevation of Lake Sakakawea to 1,837.5 feet mean sea level, the same level as last yea… Continue Reading
10.18.11
Hoeven: FEMA To Replace Minot's Lincoln Elementary School
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has determined that Lincoln Elementary School in Minot is eligible for replacement. FEMA has notified School Superintendent Mark Vollmer of its decision. Hoeven pressed FEMA Director Craig Fugate for an expedited decision to build a new school, rather than try to restore the existing structure, after the senator met with city and school officials earlier this month and learned of the extensive d… Continue Reading
10.18.11
Hoeven's National Day of the Deployed Resolution Passes in the Senate
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven announced today that a resolution he introduced to continue honoring the nation's deployed service men and women with a Day of the Deployed has unanimously passed in the Senate. Hoeven launched the first Day of the Deployed in 2006 while serving as Governor of North Dakota and spearheaded the effort to bring the initiative to the national level this year. The resolution, passed last night, calls on all Americans to reflect on the service of the nation's deployed … Continue Reading
10.18.11
Hoeven Calls on Corps of Engineers to Improve Flood Control
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today called on members of the U.S. Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee to initiate a thorough review and analysis of current management practices on the nation's waterways, including those in North Dakota, with the goal of better flood protection for people and property. Currently, the Corps' Annual Operating Plan calls for reducing the surface elevation of Lake Sakakawea to 1,837.5 feet mean sea level, the same elevation as last year. Hoeven, howev… Continue Reading
10.14.11
Hoeven Honors Past Mentor at Minot Catholic Schools Hall of Fame Induction
MINOT, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven praised Rev. Robert Williams' inspirational leadership and dedication to education at this evening's banquet in which the priest and former Bishop Ryan High School administrator was inducted into the Minot Catholic Schools Hall of Fame. Hoeven, a 1975 Bishop Ryan High School graduate, attended the school during Rev. Williams' 1970-1976 administrative tenure, and was a member of the Key Club, which Rev. Williams piloted. Williams, who died in 1998, was known for… Continue Reading
10.14.11
Hoeven Calls On EPA To Adopt State Implementation Plan for Regional Haze
WASHINGTON - At a public agency hearing today in Bismarck, Senator John Hoeven called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt the North Dakota Department of Health's State Implementation Plan for Regional Haze, rather than a more costly one-size-fits-all federal plan. Hoeven also announced his plan to introduce the Empower States Act, which will ensure that the EPA provides states with adequate flexibility to implement sensible standards for improving visibility in selected areas o… Continue Reading
10.13.11
Senate Committee Agrees to Conrad-Hoeven Request for Flood Hearings
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… Continue Reading
10.13.11
Conrad, Hoeven Call on Defense Secretary to Maintain ICBM Fleet
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven were joined by a bipartisan group of their colleagues today to make the case for maintaining the current force structure of the nation's Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), including those stationed at Minot Air Force Base. In a letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta from the Senate ICBM Coalition, Senators Conrad and Hoeven stressed that the ICBM force serves a critical role as part of the nation's nuclear deterrent. Additiona… Continue Reading
10.13.11
Hoeven: Senate Approves Free Trade Agreements
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today said U.S. Senate approval of three long-pending free trade agreements was long-coming, but welcome. He said it will strengthen America's competitiveness in the global marketplace and create jobs for U.S. workers. He said the pacts will benefit farmers, ranchers and manufacturers, across the nation and in North Dakota. Hoeven has been working with congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the Administration to bring the agreements to the floo… Continue Reading
10.12.11
Delegation Announces Approval of Agricultural Disaster Designation for RIchland and Sargent Counties
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg today applauded the decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to approve a disaster declaration for Richland and Sargent Counties in North Dakota. The declaration allows impacted producers to be considered for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans (EM) and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE). "This is welcome news for producers in Richland and Sargent Counties. Disaster assistance will now be … Continue Reading
10.12.11
Delegation Urges Napolitano for Additional Flood Relief
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg today spoke with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today and reiterated the vital need for additional federal support for flood victims in North Dakota. In a conference call with the Secretary, the delegation asked for additional flexibility when it comes to utilizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Hazard Mitigation resources for Minot. The North Dakota leaders noted that Hazard Mitigation fu… Continue Reading
10.12.11
Hoeven Joins First-Ever Bipartisan Law Enforcement Caucus
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today joined with 17 other senators to launch the first ever U.S. Senate Law Enforcement Caucus to educate and inform their colleagues and staff about the programs and initiatives that are keeping our communities safe, while advocating for the policies and resources law enforcement agencies need to carry out their missions. U.S. Senators Chris Coons of Delaware and Roy Blunt of Missouri, the founders and co-chairs of the new caucus, made the announcement at an e… Continue Reading
10.07.11
Delegation Announces $2 Million Grant to Repair Devils Lake Flood Damage
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg today announced that a $2 million grant has been awarded to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to repair roads on the Spirit Lake Reservation damaged by the rising waters of Devil's Lake. "The rising waters of Devils Lake continue to wreak havoc on the region. Flood waters are inundating the area and have taken their toll on many roads and highways throughout the basin. This funding will help repair the vital infrastruct… Continue Reading
10.07.11
FEMA Agrees to Work Toward Comprehensive Flood Protection for Minot Area Allowing More Home Buyouts
WASHINGTON - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials today assured Senator John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg that the agency would work with city, county and state officials to develop a comprehensive flood protection plan for the Minot area that would maximize its ability to use Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) dollars to buy out homes at risk for future flooding. In a conference call this morning with David Miller, FEMA's Associate Administrator for Federal Insurance and… Continue Reading
10.06.11
Delegation Pushes Back Against EPA Overregulation
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg today pushed back against an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to regulate coal fired energy plants in North Dakota and urged the agency to jettison plans to overrule the State's efforts to reduce haze. In a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, the Congressional delegation strongly objected to an EPA plan to overrule North Dakota's State Implementation Plan (SIP) on regional haze. "We believe that t… Continue Reading
