Hoeven outlines $75 million in North Dakota infrastructure projects

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - During a roundtable with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Sen. John Hoeven outlined his efforts to advance $75 million in key infrastructure projects for Bismarck, Lincoln and other North Dakota communities.

The projects discussed during the roundtable include the support for flood control, disaster mitigation and recovery.

Bismarck has received $7.3 million of a $50 million FEMA flood protection grant to improve flood protection and will seek the remaining $42.7 million this fall.

The project is expected to remove approximately 1,000 structures from the floodplain.

“The map on the right is what we will look to achieve with this project, lower the floodplain by about 3 feet of elevation which then decreases the footprint that floodplain would affect by doing some improvements,” said Gabe Schell, a city engineer in Bismarck.

Leaders also discussed securing funding for the University of Mary’s $9.1 million project to replace outdated wastewater lagoons and restore the land.

“The lagoon system has been handling it, but we’re growing and as you can see it’s becoming very taxed,” said Jerome Richter, executive vice president for the University of Mary.

Additionally, a $1.9 million hazard-mitigation BRIC grant was officially awarded this week for a wastewater lagoon project in Fessenden.

These grants would help reduce risks from natural hazards such as floods, wildfires, earthquakes and hurricanes.

FEMA participated in the roundtable, which was organized to ensure North Dakota communities have the federal support needed to recover from disasters.

Federal funding for these projects is expected to begin rolling out this September, with construction on the South Bismarck flood control project slated to begin in 2027.