Sen. Hoeven Marks Completion of Downtown Minot Infrastructure Revitalization Project

MINOT, N.D., Oct. 9 -- The office of Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., issued the following news release:

Senator John Hoeven today marked the completion of the three-year, nearly $35 million infrastructure revitalization project for downtown Minot. The effort, which received nearly $23 million in federal funding, overhauled miles of water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer pipes, concrete paved streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and street lighting within roughly 26 city blocks of Downtown Minot.

Hoeven has worked since the 2011 flood to bring more than $730 million in grants, loans and direct assistance to the city and region to help rebuild and secure against future flooding. This includes $117 million in Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds and $20 million in Economic Development Administration (EDA) disaster grants, which directly supported the downtown project. These funds were largely provided through disaster appropriations bills Hoeven helped craft and pass between 2011 and 2013.

"After years of effort, we have a rebuilt and revitalized downtown in Minot," Hoeven said. "This project stands as a sign of the Magic City's strength and resilience, and we appreciate the hard work of all of the local officials and community members in making this a reality. We continue moving forward on flood protection efforts to provide security and prosperity for families and businesses throughout the region."

Hoeven is working to secure comprehensive flood protection for Minot and the surrounding communities. In May, Hoeven announced that the Corps' FY2017 work plan includes $900,000 to support its feasibility study in the Souris River Basin. Hoeven also met with Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), during his confirmation process to stress the importance of flood protection for communities in North Dakota. OMB is responsible for approving Army Corps work plans, and Hoeven has stayed in regular contact with Mulvaney since his confirmation to ensure Minot's study is funded and can proceed without delay or interruption.

Hoeven also recently hosted Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Brock Long in Minot to review FEMA's preliminary flood maps for the city and to ensure the maps are updated to reflect permanent flood protection as it is built. This is especially important to maintain affordable flood insurance rates in places like Minot and the Red River Valley, where protections will be constructed over several years.

During the meeting, Hoeven urged Administrator Long to reevaluate the maps to account for discrepancies the city recently identified that inaccurately impose flood insurance costs on many individuals in Minot. The senator continues his efforts to extend the timeframe for public review of the maps so that FEMA could work with local officials on the discrepancies identified.