WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is awarding Minot more than $3.4 million to build a floodwall and update infrastructure to defend the city’s water treatment plant from flooding. The federal funding will help the city maintain drinkable water during floods.

Last week, Heitkamp joined Minot area leaders and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials for the signing of a cost share agreement on a study of Souris River basin flood protections – a result that Heitkamp successfully pushed the Administration and Army Corps to make a reality.

“By successfully fighting for Army Corps support and FEMA grants, we’re building a more resilient Minot,” said Heitkamp. “It’s a testament to the strength of this community that folks along the Souris River have rebuilt their lives so quickly after devastating flooding just five years ago. But we can’t let federal agencies or Congress forget how that flooding forced thousands out of their homes and inundated hundreds of businesses. This federal grant is a critical piece of our efforts to secure permanent flood protections to protect our communities for years to come.”

At Heitkamp’s urging, the Army Corps selected Minot and the Souris Basin in February as one of only 10 new study starts out of a pool of 40 potential flood protection projects. The feasibility study will examine possible modifications to existing reservoirs, channels, and levees within the Souris River basin, and evaluate any possible new structural or nonstructural measures to address flood risk. The Souris River Joint Water Resources Board will split the costs of the study evenly with the Army Corps.

Heitkamp successfully pushed for the year-end spending bill Congress passed in December to include new Army Corps study and construction starts for flood projects. Once the spending bill made 10 new study starts available, Heitkamp ramped up pressure on the White House to make sure the Administration’s 2017 budget – released in February – included $500,000 for Minot flood protections. Heitkamp also successfully fought in February for the Army Corps’ 2016 work plan to include $200,000 and a new study start for Minot.

In November 2015, Heitkamp arranged for Minot Mayor Chuck Barney and City Manager Lee Staab to meet with top officials at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Army Corps in Washington to discuss the need for federal flood protection support. Heitkamp also set up meetings for Minot officials with key Minority Appropriations Committee staff in the Senate as well as Minority appropriations staff in the U.S. House of Representatives. The meetings Heitkamp set up were instrumental in gaining federal support for Minot flood protections.