Senator Johnson on Interior Appropriations Bill

Bill includes more than $6 million in Johnson-secured funding for South Dakota

June 23, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Environment, joined with his colleagues this morning to pass the Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2010. The bill includes more than $6.7 million in Johnson-secured funding for South Dakota.

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“I am proud to use my seat on the Appropriations Committee to bring this funding home to South Dakota and help important projects in all areas of our state,” said Johnson. “The subcommittee has acted quickly today to approve this funding and continue important programs through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Forest Service and Indian Health Services.”

The bill is expected to pass the full Senate Appropriations Committee later this week before moving to the full Senate for consideration.

Johnson-Secured Funding for South Dakota Projects Includes:

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Prairie Management Program - $500,000

This program facilitates the reintroduction of the black-footed ferret, the most endangered mammal in North America. The program also provides range improvements to enhance land productivity so that ferrets can coexist with the region’s productive agriculture and livestock economy. This funding is a valuable use of taxpayer dollars to facilitate job creation while maintaining and improving tribal lands.

City of Elk Point Water and Wastewater Improvements - $400,000

The project consists of a total reconstruction of 14 blocks of water main and sanitary sewer along Main Street to eliminate problems associated with the declining state of the existing infrastructure.

Black Hills National Forest LWCF – Lady “C” Ranch - $1.64 million

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Black Hills National Forest have formed an effective partnership to identify key in-holdings that improve recreation, wildlife habitat, water use, and wildfire suppression. The U.S. Forest Service identified the Lady C Ranch as the top permanent land acquisition project in the National Forest.

City of Lead Water and Wastewater Improvements - $400,000

This project will consist of sanitary sewer replacement, storm sewer separation, and water line replacement to eliminate problems associated with the declining state of the existing infrastructure.

U.S. Forest Service/Northern Great Plains Interagency Dispatch Center - $1.9 million

Funds would provide for the co-location of state and federal wildland fire response personnel at the Black Hills National Forest Mystic Ranger Station on US Hwy 16 in Rapid City. Current fire suppression operations are located at Rapid City Airport and the FAA has set a final lease termination date of October 2013 in order to ensure that facility serves aeronautical functions. Continued co-location of state and federal assets improves response and coordination to wildland fire suppression activities.

Brant Lake Sanitary District Water and Wastewater Improvements - $400,000

The project will construct a wastewater collection system and connect to the Chester Sanitary District (CSD) wastewater lagoon facility to treat wastewater from the Brant Lake Sanitary District (BLSD), in order to protect Brant Lake from potential pollution from inadequate septic tanks.

U.S. FWS Dakota Tallgrass conservation easements - $1 million

Conversion to cropland threatens to eliminate tallgrass prairie from the landscape of North and South Dakota. Funds would alleviate the current backlog of willing sellers allowing the U.S. FWS to protect tallgrass prairie habitat in Eastern South Dakota. The program has successfully closed 175 options for perpetual easements covering 56,070 acres for $6.2 million.

State Theater Sioux Fall, South Dakota - $200,000

This project involves restoration of the historic State Theater, so that it may serve as a fully handicap accessible venue for a variety of community events and activities.

Rapid City Source Water Protection Initiative - $300,000

This project will remove on-site wastewater systems located in sensitive recharge areas of the aquifer which Rapid City, Box Elder, Piedmont, and various other water companies and sanitary districts rely on to provide clean drinking water. This project will extend sewer lines to these properties with on-site wastewater systems so their sewage can be treated at the City of Rapid City Wastewater Treatment Facility rather than being discharged into the ground above the Madison Aquifer.

National Programs Include:

- National Park Service Operations - $2.26 billion

- National Forest System and Bureau of Land Management hazardous fuels reduction project – $206 million

- The Bureau of Indian Affairs Program Operations - $2.3 billion

- The Bureau of Indian Affairs Construction Funding - $225 million

- Indian Health Service - $3.639 billion

- Indian Health Facilities - $394 million

Source: Senator Tim Johnson