United States Senator John Hoeven for North Dakota

WASHINGTON – Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad, Congressman Rick Berg and Governor Jack Dalrymple today said they welcome the Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to begin issuing permits for municipal and industrial uses of Missouri River water. However, they emphasized that they will continue to oppose any effort to charge North Dakota businesses, farmers, ranchers and tribes fees for access to Missouri River water.

Col. Joel Cross, commander of the Corps’ Omaha District, notified Hoeven, the state’s congressional delegation and governor late last week that the agency plans to complete within a few weeks its first water surplus agreement with Williston-based Western International Co., which provides water management services to the oil and gas industry. The first agreement will be for about 5,000 acre feet of water, with two additional applications pending for an additional 8,000 acre feet.

Cross said the Corps has seven other applications i...

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today said the U.S. Senate has passed the final FY 2013 Defense Authorization bill with provisions supporting North Dakota air base missions. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the legislation late last week, and it now goes to the President to be signed into law. 

The legislation includes measures that ensure continued funding and operations for the Global Hawk unmanned aerial systems based in Grand Forks, the B-52 bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile system (ICBM) based in Minot. It also directs the Air Force to maintain another 32 C-130 or C-27J aircraft to meet Army requirements and establishes a commission to review the aircraft, some of which were going to be retired. The Fargo Air Guard is in line to base the C27J and Hoeven said he will continue pushing the Air Force to deliver three C-27J aircraft that have already been manufactured to Fargo. 

“The Defense Authorization bill provides our m...

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced that the city of Minot will receive a $1.6 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) Disaster Grant for the city’s Market at North Hill project, a new commercial and retail complex north of the city’s main commercial center. Combined with $400,000 in local funding, the grant will be used for a $2 million infrastructure enhancement effort needed to support an area in the growing community for new commercial development now and into the future.

The new 13-acre retail center will feature a large grocery store, hardware store, fitness club, 15 retail outlets and an additional three lots for a restaurant and other commercial outlets. The $1.6 million EDA grant will help to leverage $30 million in private investment. The new infrastructure will also support the future construction of an additional 13 acre plot for commercial and mixed use development, leveraging an additional $40 million in private investme...

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today said new U.S. Census Bureau estimates showing North Dakota’s population about to surpass 700,000 caps nearly a decade of annual population growth. According to Census data, the state has shown a population increase every year since 2003, which was the state’s decade low, for a cumulative increase of almost 10 percent in 2012.

The statewide population growth reflects the more diversified and dynamic economy the state has worked to create since 2000 by forging a strong legal, tax and regulatory climate for business.

“From Fargo to Williston and Grand Forks to Dickinson, North Dakota’s population, per capita income and general economy have grown,” Hoeven said. “By creating a strong business environment and fostering opportunity, we have drawn people from across the nation in search of a better life.”