The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on June 10 approved a bipartisan bill proposed by U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) to support water supply projects in his home state. The legislation now moves to the full Senate for consideration.
“I appreciate my fellow members of the Senate Energy Committee for working with me to approve this legislation once again, as we did in the 118th Congress,” Sen. Hoeven said. “By securing committee approval with bipartisan support, we are putting this bill in a strong position for passage.”
That’s key, he added, because North Dakota has hit its funding cap for the Municipal, Rural, and Industrial (MR&I) grant program, “constraining our state’s ability to advance needed water supply projects.”
The committee passed the Dakota Water Resources Act (DWRA) Amendments of 2026, S. 4040, which Sen. Hoeven sponsored on March 10 alongside lead cosponsor U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA).
If enacted, the measure would support more reliable, drought-resistant water supplies in North Dakota, and to help fulfill federal compensation that was promised to the state and tribes upon the construction of the Garrison Dam and Oahe Dam.
Specifically, S. 4040 would amend the DWRA of 2000 to increase authorizations under the MR&I water supply grant program for North Dakota and the five tribal nations in the state, and ensure that biota water treatment costs are fully accounted for, which are rightly the responsibility of the federal government, according to the lawmakers.
“Our legislation will reauthorize and expand the DWRA funding, giving North Dakota the resources it needs to build more reliable, drought-resistant water supplies for communities across our state,” said Sen. Hoeven.
The bill is part of Sen. Hoeven’s ongoing efforts to fully fund the Eastern North Dakota Alternate Water Supply Project, which uses existing federal infrastructure to save North Dakota taxpayers $200 million in construction costs and $4 million in annual operating costs for the Red River Valley Water Supply Project, according to his staff.
U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) introduced the identical H.R. 8006 in the House of Representatives on March 19.