Peace Garden News

Senator John Hoeven has announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a contract exceeding $10 million for the construction of Reach SE-5, the final segment required to complete the 21-mile Southern Embankment. This project is part of a larger flood protection initiative for the Fargo-Moorhead region.

The construction will take place in Minnesota and involves reconstructing parts of 180th Avenue, its intersection with Highway 75, and the Wolverton Creek crossing. The funding comes from a $437 million award secured by Hoeven in 2022. This marks the last major contract awarded by the Corps for this regional flood protection effort.

“Awarding this final contract to complete the Southern Embankment is achieving a major milestone in protecting the entire Fargo-Moorhead region against the threat of flooding,” said Hoeven. “Numerous efforts have to be tied together in order to make this permanent flood protection a reality. That’s why it was critical that we not only secure full federal funding now to provide certainty over the long-term, but also advance this as the Corps’ first major P3 project. This approach, which is serving as model for Army Corps projects across the country, provided the flexibility needed to build the various aspects of the project concurrently.”

This milestone follows Hoeven's extensive legislative efforts, including passing 16 acts of Congress with nine legislative provisions such as project authorizations in 2014 and new construction start authorization in 2016. He also secured seven separate appropriations to fund construction and fully fund a $750 million federal cost share.

Hoeven played a role in renegotiating the Project Partnership Agreement to increase federal funding from $450 million and advancing this as an Army Corps project using a public-private partnership (P3) split-delivery model along with a Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan.

Efforts were coordinated across four federal agencies to provide necessary funding and flexibility, allowing concurrent work on raising I-29 and beginning excavation on the Red River Control Structure to maintain schedule adherence. Additionally, an easement issue was resolved on lands purchased with Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding, enabling use of an alternative route for completion.