Cramer: Bureau of Reclamation Finds No Significant Impact, Proceeds with North Dakota Water Supply Project

Press Release

Congressman Kevin Cramer announced the Central North Dakota Water Supply Project received a favorable impact report today, according to the Bureau of Reclamation within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). Since completing its environmental assessment (EA), the Bureau of Reclamation affirms the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) report for the Central North Dakota Water Supply Project and moves the project to the next step of issuing a water service contract and special use permit to Garrison Diversion Conservancy District.

In October 2017, Cramer held a meeting between Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Garrison Diversion officials to discuss this project and the Red River Valley Water Supply Project. Cramer has since advocated for the 20 cubic feet per second of water from the McClusky Canal to serve the areas of Burleigh, Sheridan, Wells, Foster, Kidder, McLean and Stutsman Counties within the Missouri River Basin in North Dakota.

"This news is nothing short of historic for North Dakota," said Cramer. "For more than five decades, Presidents and Administrations have been breaking the promise that was made to our state and finally we have a President in Donald Trump and an Interior Secretary in Ryan Zinke who paid attention and worked closely with me and our stakeholders on this. I am grateful for their friendship and their close working relationship. I look forward to doing many more good deals with them."

This would be the first project for water from the Garrison Diversion Unit to be used for municipal, rural, and industrial (MR&I) use.

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