North Dakota

Appropriations bill contains $66.3 million for tribal colleges; $4.6 million for UTTC

October 29, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) said today that the $7 million increase in funding for tribal colleges nationwide represents a strong commitment to Native American higher education that will benefit students at tribal colleges in North Dakota.

The Interior Appropriations conference agreement includes $66.3 million for tribally controlled community colleges, which is $7 million more than last year’s level. In addition, the bill includes a provision proposed by the President including $50 million to forward fund tribal colleges so they can better plan for the academic year.    » read more »

Move Will Deliver Needed Boost to North Dakota Producers, Senator says

October 29, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Senator Kent Conrad was joined by North Dakota’s pork producers in cheering a decision today that will allow U.S. pork products to re-enter the Chinese market.

“Pork producers in North Dakota and all across the country have been hurt by the baseless ban of their products in China,” Senators Conrad said. “The decision to reopen this market to trade will benefit pork producers in North Dakota and across the nation.”

Senator Conrad, along with 23 of his colleagues, sent a letter earlier this month calling on the Chinese government to end the ban on American pork and pork products.    » read more »

Bill includes provision to ensure UAVs have access to airspace

October 23, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- A bill that earned final approval in Congress late Thursday will help ensure training programs at UND and other unmanned aerial vehicle programs will be able to access airspace in North Dakota, U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad and Congressman Earl Pomeroy announced today.

Senator Dorgan drafted the provision, Section 935, of the fiscal year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act that requires the Pentagon and the Department of Transportation to jointly write a plan that would ensure UAVs have access to the national airspace. The Department of Homeland Security, the lead agency for the Customs and Border Protection, will also contribute to the effort.    » read more »

Bill includes funding for Fargo flood study, other critical water projects in the state

October 15, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad and Congressman Earl Pomeroy announced today that Congress has given final approval to an appropriations bill that will invest in flood control studies for Fargo and communities in the Sheyenne and James river valleys, support energy research projects in North Dakota, and boost efforts to strengthen and expand water systems that serve our rural communities.    » read more »

Bill expands role of GF Nutrition Center, supports other research to help farmers and ranchers

October 9, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- The United States Congress has given final approval to an appropriations bill that includes investments secured by U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad and Congressman Earl Pomeroy in North Dakota’s agriculture research industry. These critical agriculture and nutrition research projects will give a boost to the state’s economy and help develop new ways for family farmers and ranchers to fight pests and address other problems.    » read more »

October 1, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The annual appropriations bill written by Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) containing key investments in North Dakota energy and water projects became one step closer to becoming law today. The bill includes funding that will give a boost to cutting-edge energy research in North Dakota, as well as much-needed flood control and water projects across the state.

Dorgan chairs the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittee in charge of funding the nation’s energy and water projects. Today the Senate and House conference committee approved the combined bill, which will next go to the House and Senate floors before being signed into law by the President.

Flood Control    » read more »

October 1, 2009 -- BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota Governor John Hoeven today extended a welcome and congratulations to the management and employees of Murphy Oil Corp., which earlier today acquired the former VeraSun Ethanol facility in Hankinson, North Dakota. It is the company's first renewable fuels venture.

Gov. Hoeven was informed of the acquisition by Plant Manager Wes Plummer, who said the company had searched extensively for an ethanol plant to acquire and was sold on the Hankinson site because of its outstanding workforce and well-maintained, modern facility. The purchase price was $92 million, and the company plans to invest an additional $15 million in working capital into the facility.    » read more »

Dorgan says Oshkosh CEO is reconsidering decision to close oakes plant; Expects decision in a week to 10 days

July 8, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) is asking the head of Oshkosh Trucking to reconsider the closure of the company’s manufacturing plant in Oakes, N.D., in light of a new $1.06 billion federal contract the company has just received from the Pentagon to build heavy armored vehicles for the Army and Marines.    » read more »

July 1, 2009 -- FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple today announced that three local companies are parties to major contracts to supply 2009 food-grade soybeans to South Korean soy food importers.

The purchase agreements call for SB&B Foods of Casselton, Brushvale Seed of Wahpeton-Breckenridge, SunOpta of Moorhead and Wisconsin-based DeLong Company to export about 275,000 bushels of identity preserved soybeans to members of the Korean Federation of Soybean-Curd Industry Cooperatives (KFSCIC). The federation represents 12 Korean tofu-processing cooperatives. The sales are valued at about $5 million.    » read more »

June 23, 2009 -- Washington – Senators Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan and Congressman Earl Pomeroy announced today that North Dakota will receive more than $70 million in federal funding to give a boost to schools across the state that are at risk of teacher shortages and budget cuts.

“These funds will enable our schools to attract the best teachers and keep them on staff to ensure that North Dakota’s children continue to receive the quality education they need and deserve,” the delegation said.    » read more »

Application for Part 1 of North Dakota’s State Stabilization Funds Approved Today

June 22, 2009 -- U. S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that more than $70 million is now available for North Dakota under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. This funding will lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs at risk of state and local budget cuts. North Dakota will be eligible to apply for another $34.6 million this fall.

Today’s funding is being made available per North Dakota’s successful completion of Part 1 of the State Stabilization Application, which was made available on April 1st.    » read more »

Governor Hoeven joins NextEra Energy Resources, Otter Tail Power Company and Minnkota Power Cooperative, to dedicate the Ashtabula Wind Energy Center

June 17, 2009 -- Valley City, N.D. – Today North Dakota Governor John Hoeven and local community leaders joined officials from NextEra Energy Resources, the largest wind and solar energy producer in North America, Otter Tail Power Company and Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc. to dedicate the Ashtabula Wind Energy Center.

More than 200 local and regional guests joined Governor Hoeven and company officials at the site near Valley City to celebrate the commercial operation of the 196.5-megawatt Ashtabula Wind Energy Center and the organizations that helped make the facility a reality.    » read more »

June 5, 2009 -- BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota Governor John Hoeven today spoke with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to request that EPA expedite his previous request to raise the ethanol blended gasoline variance to 15 percent from the current 10 percent blend.

The move would help to expand the market for domestically produced biofuels, according to Hoeven. The Governor, as chairman of the Governors Biofuels Coalition, made the formal request in February to President Barack Obama.

“The nation needs greater energy independence, and domestic ethanol producers need a boost under current market conditions,” Hoeven said. “Increasing the proportion of ethanol to 15 percent would move us closer to both goals.”    » read more »

At hearing requested by Dorgan, questions raised about how dealers and consumers will be impacted

June 3, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) questioned the President and CEO of both Chrysler and General Motors about the effects of their dealership closings in North Dakota and their plans to ensure dealerships and consumers are treated fairly.

James Press, President of Chrysler, and Fritz Henderson, CEO of General Motors, both testified at the hearing, along with John McEleney, Chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association.    » read more »

June 4, 2009 -- BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota Governor John Hoeven was in Williston today to dedicate the new Williston State College (WSC) Petroleum Safety and Technology Center. The center was started with funding from the state's Centers of Excellence initiative, with an emphasis on creating economic and employment opportunities in the state's oil and gas industry.

Hoeven was joined by Williston Mayor Ward Koeser, WSC President Dr. Raymond Nadolny, WSC Train ND Executive Director Deanette Piesik, North Dakota Commerce Commissioner Shane Goettle, North Dakota Petroleum Council President Ron Ness and Wayne Biberdorf, manager of strategic projects for Hess Corporation.    » read more »