[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6097941,"mediaKeyId","2826219-b8b813364400cf699ea7ec55bc68f2aa","parentId",2826219,"title","Lawmakers weigh $75,000 study of irrigation and drainage economic impact","audioSeconds",590,"startMs",5671000,"endMs",6261000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826219-b8b813364400cf699ea7ec55bc68f2aa&start=5671&end=6261","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826219-b8b813364400cf699ea7ec55bc68f2aa/thumbnail_5671000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6097941/North-Dakota/Lawmakers-weigh-75000-study-of-irrigation-and-drainage-economic-impact","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097941-0a5ddafcdc8e6d160bc593374e43ab75/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437841&Signature=Zgl~-N3G~lkm0BkJt02WFogrZzWrewf7htZf9AM1flKU8d4Lx5woOgCNqxBQ44tLry1F96VFagghF2gW1fmAJxksmg55cI6ivxE8Nswr95TATEzXvtSrsOTVYRfQsiwDMzOFdvI6XvtcdYnUVLCX3jwSeBkdp8R6r847-dguy-BwE4QeA2bfunlVFK2FVDEzudYwsO0iP7qXu496glwOrECYh0QVzqGTsJz1iqJ9CFAC-MtCqjDSgHok3dNfjikrTjBjsNn6x3VTWL2qwEXaTtLUy8tVnr2ubrAhWf2ZIKbEFslupLh8Tx5Z1PyLTLzh5FsWI1Sge2zNAmpiNlWyAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota Legislature","date","2025-03-31T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Cynthia Schreiberbeck introduced House Bill 15 31, asking the Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division to appropriate up to $75,000 for an economic study on the impacts of irrigation and drainage practices on agriculture and state and local economies.

Schreiberbeck said the study would include an assessment of the potential economic benefits of increased irrigation and improved water conveyance, the ramifications of failing to implement irrigation originally contemplated under the Pick‑Sloan Flood Control Act of 1944, and a comparison of irrigated and non‑irrigated land productivity.

Danny, executive director of the North Dakota Irrigation Association, told the committee older studies are out of date and an updated analysis would help the state quantify what it lost where promised irrigation was not developed. “We would like to know what the number is that the state could have benefited from if that irrigation was developed,” he said, suggesting the data would support federal outreach and policy actions.

Other agricultural groups testified in support, calling the appropriation modest and useful. Committee members asked whether the study would update older NDSU or other analyses, whether it could quantify hydropower revenue differences tied to irrigation plans, and how the State Water Commission’s existing data would be incorporated. Witnesses said relevant state datasets could be used and that new irrigation technologies and water‑management approaches should be included.

The hearing closed with no recorded votes; supporters said the study would be a relatively low‑cost step to inform larger water and agricultural policy debates.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Appropriations - Government Operations Division Mar 31, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Cynthia Schreiberbeck asked the Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division to approve up to $75,000 to hire a consultant to study how irrigation and drainage affect agricultural productivity and the state and local economies.","taxTitle","Appropriations - Government Operations Division, Senate, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28900,"location","North Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097944,"Regional planning councils ask Legislature for staff funding to deliver rural projects",3565,2091000,5656000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826219-b8b813364400cf699ea7ec55bc68f2aa&start=2091&end=5656","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826219-b8b813364400cf699ea7ec55bc68f2aa/thumbnail_2091000.jpg","/articles/6097944/North-Dakota/Regional-planning-councils-ask-Legislature-for-staff-funding-to-deliver-rural-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097944-d9b9baa027613c8280284722931783f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437841&Signature=bZvm9GM9s32zyC5PEFoDyb-H7Rtk-LuxJgWu7HD2OtvGXee7TORf7tazoYrKxSbQARW6Fwg~Pjw-sPbADQvU4ZkuMSE8AL3W4~LRipcpo4E0dWaQou4RhZWd9ap0tNF5byN4mZXEx~rYP006odexWsWQ1S25srpfGx52hny7XZT-Ixcoo1oBENW~HaXo9NmspvpR1qqaIf0vp21GVXHuxGz1WlJS0s85zHrwdvKiXp126cDgMiiUXhsA~fMET7yGMvtjVAs2L~9oT9ix~z9lu5rexIgPqZh6pVtL2oNtCLQTIcPnLVN8jlbYHMyT3Bv-TLXEUzRusTeHezcMe8W9pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Supporters of House Bill 1524 told the Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division that funding regional planning councils to hire staff would accelerate project delivery across rural North Dakota and help communities apply for new state programs.

Representative Dave Munson, the bill’s prime sponsor, said regional councils were created by the Legislature but “we really never funded them very well.” He asked the committee to consider increasing the appropriation from the Senate’s $2,400,000 figure toward the original larger request.

Priscilla Herrera, executive director for Service‑Based and Planning Council (Region 2), said the central problem is local capacity: “We don't have the people to do the work, to advance the visions of our communities.” She told senators that fewer than half the state’s counties have dedicated economic‑development organizations and many small towns lack staff to apply for and manage complex grants.

Testimony described a tiered funding proposal: $2,400,000 (current level) would provide a baseline; supporters asked for at least $5,750,000 and some initially sought about $8,000,000. Witnesses said $4,000,000 would support two rural development full‑time equivalent staff per region, and the sponsors estimated roughly $125,000 per FTE per year (salary, fringe and overhead).

Taryn Doerr of Roosevelt‑Custer Regional Council said the bill “is not for regional councils, but it is for the communities that we serve,” adding that councils act as boots on the ground to help small towns apply for housing, workforce and infrastructure funds and to coordinate project implementation. Multiple councils offered case studies — including childcare and housing developments — showing that regional staff coordinate planning, manage bids, integrate multiple funding sources and close financing gaps.

Several statewide organizations — including the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency, the North Dakota League of Cities and agricultural groups — testified in support and urged a larger appropriation, saying councils multiply state investments by helping more communities compete successfully for grants.

Committee members asked about program administration, whether regional councils would hire staff locally, reporting and accountability, whether the funding would be ongoing, and how the Department of Commerce would coordinate. Witnesses said each council would hire and house staff locally, would submit work plans and agreed the funding could be continued if successful.

The hearing included repeated requests to expand the appropriation to meet staffing needs; no formal committee votes were recorded during the hearing.","Representatives of North Dakota’s eight regional planning councils urged the Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division to fund staff positions under House Bill 1524 so rural communities can apply for and implement infrastructure, housing and workforce grants.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6097950,"Senate panel hears push to restore $10 million for Great Plains Food Bank expansion",1926,74000,2000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2826219-b8b813364400cf699ea7ec55bc68f2aa&start=74&end=2000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2826219-b8b813364400cf699ea7ec55bc68f2aa/thumbnail_74000.jpg","/articles/6097950/North-Dakota/Senate-panel-hears-push-to-restore-10-million-for-Great-Plains-Food-Bank-expansion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6097950-c877f9bfc8f8368011c4c2ce0573fec5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437841&Signature=VxGTcszH9OrPLP15zzDtINiAhFdUF1okA5JZMRjpv31L~mYR-XglQ9okQidlBOn4WwX9~yddudctwvagRsnwtw8T1HKw0iTA20UkPSWqg6zK9fVYKqLYPlpabZUL13h5qus4Z6sdcLFG2aDbR8Ax~VncAVvTLWqts9pGzAcsH91bLTE3AlwQJ6XSKRTecsODwa-hKBPchy8nn1~u7lNTXO2b-WWyTEsHECTW8DKF4nDhOe6eh~ZsZ~FxAx-ZTQlaOQQo2XxBcQDQdqa7wNRBgFVM3dGGCyEKSA0guoGA6YNoG0RtGVVVTJ8Tmx-A6lmmD-6jWmaoOzxYel3cBc9AJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division opened a hearing on House Bill 1143, with Representative Brandy Pyle and leaders of the Great Plains Food Bank asking the Legislature to provide a one‑time appropriation to match private funds for a new statewide distribution center.

Representative Brandy Pyle told the committee the measure is an infrastructure bill and “an infrastructure investment that will serve as the backbone to every county in our state.” She asked the committee to restore the original $10,000,000 appropriation and offered an amendment to increase the current request back to that amount.

The Great Plains Food Bank’s CEO, Melissa Sobolek, told senators the nonprofit is the state’s only food bank and described rising demand: “Last year, more than 156,000 North Dakotans visited a food pantry or a soup kitchen. That’s 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 3 children.” She said the food bank distributed nearly 16,000,000 pounds of food in 2024 and currently operates a 45,000‑square‑foot warehouse in Fargo that the organization says has reached capacity and faces multiple code and mechanical failures.

Sobolek outlined the nonprofit’s plan for a new, roughly 71,000‑square‑foot Greenfield facility at 3315 West Track Drive in Fargo, estimated at $30,500,000. She said the organization has raised $1,200,000 so far, received $2,000,000 in a CDBG‑CV grant for land purchase, contributed $900,000 from board reserves and expects about $2,500,000 from the sale of the current site; eligibility for New Markets Tax Credits is projected to add about $4,500,000. The group seeks a dollar‑for‑dollar state match to leverage private fundraising.

State officials and agricultural groups testified in support. A state official reported that prior distribution programs supported by state and federal funds reached more than 145,000 people and sourced product from dozens of local vendors. Farmers and farm groups urged the committee to restore funding to $10,000,000 to speed construction and expand statewide distribution capacity.

Committee members pressed staff about verification of the food bank’s client counts, current funding streams and how a smaller appropriation would change the timeline. Sobolek said client counts are reported as unduplicated individuals for food‑bank records and that the organization would continue fundraising if the Legislature approved less than the requested amount.

The hearing closed with the chair saying the committee would take action on the bill later this week and notifying witnesses of next steps.","Representatives and hunger‑relief leaders told the Senate Appropriations Government Operations Division that House Bill 1143 would provide a one‑time state match to build a larger statewide distribution center for the Great Plains Food Bank; witnesses described facility failures, statewide demand and an ongoing capital campaign.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lawmakers weigh $75,000 study of irrigation and drainage economic impact

Regional planning councils ask Legislature for staff funding to deliver rural projects

Senate panel hears push to restore $10 million for Great Plains Food Bank expansion