Hoeven Advances North Dakota Priorities With Interior Secretary Burgum

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven recently discussed with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum efforts to advance the following priorities for North Dakota: The Eastern North Dakota Alternate Water Supply (ENDAWS) Project. Hoeven has secured $158 million in federal funding for the project to date. The senator stressed to Burgum how ENDAWS will save local taxpayers more than $200 million by using existing federal infrastructure. Burgum committed to Hoeven to work with him toward fulfilling the remaining federal funding share. Hoeven’s legislation to maintain the wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP). Burgum agreed to work with Hoeven on enacting this legislation, which would ensure the National Park Service maintains a genetically-diverse herd of no fewer than 150 horses in TRNP’s South Unit. The Advanced Training Center (ATC) at Camp Grafton. Hoeven worked during his time as chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to establish and fund the ATC to address law enforcement staffing needs in Indian Country, particularly the Great Plains region. Through his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hoeven has since secured additional funding to: Support and expand the law enforcement training programs offered by the ATC. Construct facilities to meet the growing demand for such programs at Camp Grafton. Hoeven called on Burgum to support continued efforts to expand the ATC, so it can better meet the law enforcement needs of Indian Country. “The Department of Interior has an immense influence on North Dakota and tribes within our state, and as a result, there are a wide range of critical priorities that we are working with Secretary Burgum to advance,” said Hoeven. “I appreciate his commitment to work with us on funding ENDAWS and on advancing our legislation to maintain and ensure good management of the wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. ENDAWS is critical to the continued growth and prosperity of communities throughout eastern North Dakota, and the wild horses are important part of the park’s legacy and central to the visitor experience. At the same time, we will continue working to address the shortage of law enforcement in Indian Country, and the ATC is key to that effort. We look forward to working with Secretary Burgum to further develop this installation at Camp Grafton to fill these vacancies and improve public safety for the tribes.” In addition, Hoeven discussed the importance of maintaining multiple use on federal lands, stressing the importance of ensuring access for energy development, grazing and recreation. To this end, the senator has worked to rescind harmful Biden-era regulations such as, including restrictions placed on developing taxpayer-owned energy resources and leasing on federal lands under policies like the Resource Management Plan (RMP) for North Dakota. Hoeven and the North Dakota delegation sponsored and passed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval to rescind the RMP , which would have closed off leasing to vast areas of potential federal oil and gas acreage and a majority of federal coal acreage in the state. Hoeven has also introduced the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mineral Spacing Act , bicameral legislation that would streamline and improve the permitting process for energy development, remove duplicative regulations and better respect the rights of private mineral holders.Specifically, the BLM Mineral Spacing Act: Removes the BLM permitting requirement in instances when: Less than half of the subsurface minerals within a drilling spacing unit are owned by the federal government; and The federal government does not own or lease any surface rights within the impacted area. Allows the federal government to receive royalties from energy production within the particular drilling or spacing unit. Subjects energy producers to all state laws, regulations and guidance governing energy activity in each relevant jurisdiction. -###-