Hoeven Seeks Flexibility from Corps on Flood Mitigation, Control Issues

Press Release

Hoeven Seeks Flexibility from Corps on Flood Mitigation, Control Issues

Asks That Valley City Contractors Be Made Eligible To Bid on Projects

Gov. John Hoeven met yesterday in Washington, D.C. with Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Terrence "Rock" Salt to address a number of outstanding flood control and mitigation issues. Salt heads the Civil Works section of the Army, which oversees the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Governor stressed the need for permanent flood control in the Red River Valley, Sheyenne River Valley, and the James River Valley. Hoeven asked for an expedited timeline on the Red River Valley Flood Control Project and the flexibility to incorporate the Southside Flood Control Project into the larger flood control plan for the Red River Valley as a first phase project. He also said it was important to detail the costs of all the options, including levees and a diversion around the city.

"We need to move forward on real flood protection in Fargo and rural Cass County, as well as for Devils Lake, Jamestown and other areas of the state that have had flooding," Hoeven said. "North Dakota has already committed $75 million to flood protection in Fargo, and $10 million to raise the levees at Devils Lake. We are seeking cooperation and support from the Corps to keep these and other projects moving."

In addition, cities that want to retain some of their temporary dikes should be allowed to do so until more permanent mitigation measures are in place, according to Hoeven. "We want to retain all of the protections we can until more permanent solutions can be put in place," Hoeven said. "Allowing communities to maintain some of their dikes over the longer term makes sense from both a financial and safety perspective."

Regional Corps rules disallowed local contractors from bidding on a project in Valley City, which Hoeven said makes no sense. "We have good local contractors who are ready, willing and able to undertake the Valley City project and other projects in the state," he said. "They should be allowed to bid just like anyone else."

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