Senator John Hoeven announced on Mar. 11 the reintroduction of bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing funding authorizations for water supply projects in North Dakota. The bill seeks to provide more reliable, drought-resistant water supplies and fulfill federal compensation promised to the state and Tribal Nations following the construction of the Garrison Dam and Oahe Dam.
The proposed legislation is significant because it addresses ongoing needs for water infrastructure in North Dakota, where existing funding ceilings have been reached. According to Hoeven, “When the Garrison and Oahe dams were built, North Dakota lost 550,000 acres of prime farmland, but the amounts originally authorized under the Dakota Water Resources Act of 2000 were insufficient to compensate our state for this loss. As we work to fund water supply projects like ENDAWS, our legislation would correct this shortfall, ensure North Dakota receives the federal support it is owed and help advance more resilient, drought-tolerant water supplies for communities across our state.”
The bill would amend the Dakota Water Resources Act (DWRA) by raising authorizations under the Municipal, Rural, and Industrial (MR&I) grant program for both North Dakota and its five Tribal Nations. This increase is necessary as North Dakota reached its MR&I authorization ceiling at the end of fiscal year 2024. The additional funds are intended to complete ongoing projects such as the Northwest Area Water Supply Project (NAWS) and Eastern North Dakota Alternate Water Supply Project (ENDAWS). The legislation also ensures that biota water treatment costs are fully covered by federal resources.
Senator Kevin Cramer said, “This legislation is critical for ensuring reliable water supplies for North Dakota’s communities and Tribal Nations. The FY2026 Energy and Water appropriations bill included some funding for the Eastern North Dakota Water Supplies Project (ENDAWS). We need to increase existing funding authorizations to further support ENDAWS and other critical water infrastructure projects across the state. I look forward to passing these amendments and ensuring the federal government fulfills this obligation it owes to North Dakota for damming the Missouri River.” Representative Julie Fedorchak added, “North Dakota was promised more than a million acres of irrigation as part of the Pick-Sloan project, yet that promise was never fully realized. The Dakota Water Resources Act Amendments move us closer to fulfilling that commitment by strengthening water systems for our communities and Tribal Nations and making sure the federal government follows through on its commitments to our state.”
Hoeven serves on several Senate committees including Appropriations; Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; as well as Energy and Natural Resources according to his official website. He represents all residents of North Dakota according to his official website.
In addition to legislative work on infrastructure issues like agriculture, energy policy, veterans’ services, Native American affairs, and economic development according to his official website, Hoeven engages with constituents through newsletters, town halls, and public events as noted on his official website.
The full text and summary of Hoeven’s legislation are available online.
