Herseth, King pledge support for water project
11:25 AM
Posted: Monday, February 18, 2008
Even though President Bush has provided a budget with no funding in fiscal year 2009, Siouxland congresspersons vowed to fight for funding for the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System.
South Dakota Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Iowa Congressman Steve King and Minnesota Congressman Tim Walz have issued a joint statement of support for the project that would serve the three states. The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System will deliver safe drinking water from aquifers near Vermillion, S.D., to roughly 300,000 people in a 5,000 square mile area.
The three said they were surprised by the zero funding proposal.
"We disagree with that choice, and once again we will work together in Congress, as Democrats and Republicans, to provide this vital project with the funding it needs," they summarized.
Thus far, 17 of the 20 local municipalities participating in the project have paid $106 million toward the Lewis and Clark project. Congress has funded another $111 million to date. Lewis & Clark Rural Water executive director Troy Larson has said $35 million per year is necessary to keep the project moving.
Previously, the two U.S. senators from South Dakota, Tim Johnson and John Thune, said the zero budget proposal was shocking, and they would seek to obtain funding.
Work on the project, which began in 2003, continues.
-- Bret Hayworth
South Dakota Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Iowa Congressman Steve King and Minnesota Congressman Tim Walz have issued a joint statement of support for the project that would serve the three states. The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System will deliver safe drinking water from aquifers near Vermillion, S.D., to roughly 300,000 people in a 5,000 square mile area.
The three said they were surprised by the zero funding proposal.
"We disagree with that choice, and once again we will work together in Congress, as Democrats and Republicans, to provide this vital project with the funding it needs," they summarized.
Thus far, 17 of the 20 local municipalities participating in the project have paid $106 million toward the Lewis and Clark project. Congress has funded another $111 million to date. Lewis & Clark Rural Water executive director Troy Larson has said $35 million per year is necessary to keep the project moving.
Previously, the two U.S. senators from South Dakota, Tim Johnson and John Thune, said the zero budget proposal was shocking, and they would seek to obtain funding.
Work on the project, which began in 2003, continues.
-- Bret Hayworth
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Minnesota Central wrote on Feb 23, 2008 1:36 PM:
He knows that Lewis & Clark Regional Water System (and other similar projects) will be funded by Congress. By not including them in his request, he understates the fiscal imbalance inherent in his budget. Water and other related projects requests totaling about $1.8 billion -- some date back to 2000 (or essentially throughout Mr. Bush's presidency) -- are awaiting funds.
Lewis & Clark will be funded and it will be an earmark in the budget and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this type of earmark. This is not pork-barrel wasteful project.
Congress inserted 12,881 earmarks worth $18.3 billion into FY2008 spending bills. Congress also documented more than $20 billion in presidential earmarks.
Its a game.
We can debate about what is wasteful spending I question $97,000 to continue the "Lighten Up, Iowa" anti-obesity initiative, but believe that is in the countrys best interest to have a clean water supply.
Let's applaud Herseth Sandlin, King and Walz.
(And this is the first time that I found myself in agreement with Steve King.)
"
ER wrote on Feb 18, 2008 12:17 PM: