North Dakota Senator John Hoeven recently spoke with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Deputy Director Russ Vought, urging for the inclusion of the Red River Valley’s flood protection project in the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 budget request.
The senator stressed the significance of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issuing a permit for the project last month, a vital step in addressing the injunction on the project and making it eligible to be included in the administration’s budget.
Hoeven is also working to set up a meeting between local flood protection leaders from the Fargo-Moorhead region and OMB officials in the coming weeks to further advance this priority.
“With the Minnesota DNR permit now approved, we have an opportunity to secure a funding request for the Red River Valley’s comprehensive flood protection in the President’s budget, ” said Hoeven.
“My call to Deputy Director Vought was all about ensuring the administration understands how important this step is and how vital the project is to the safety and well-being of the region’s residents. Following this, we are working to set up meetings between OMB and local leaders to include the project in the administration’s budget, which will help us secure additional federal funding to cover the costs of implementing Route B.”
The call to OMB comes as part of Hoeven’s continued efforts to secure additional federal funding for the region’s comprehensive flood protection project.
As a member of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee, Hoeven is working to maintain strong support for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ construction account and secure project funding in the coming years.