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Senate alters course on F-M diversion

The state Senate has again changed the language in the state Water Commission budget bill – concerning the F-M diversion project.

The language now says state money can be spent on the project – when federal dollars earmarked for project construction start to flow. That differs from the previous language – which prohibited state money from being used until the federal share was completely in-hand.

"Any type of federal funding committed for construction qualifies," said Sen. Tony Grindberg (R-Fargo), the author of the new language. "Earmarks, Congressional funding, annual appropriations through the US Army Corps of Engineers would qualify."

Grindberg says the new language would give the state Water Commission more of an oversight rule in building the diversion.

For a second straight day, the diversion project triggered a lot of debate.

"This is not an urban-rural, upstream-downstream, east-west debate," said Sen. Tim Flakoll (R-Fargo). "This is not just Fargo's problem -- this is North Dakota's problem."

Sen. Jim Dotzenrod (D-Wyndmere) says this will allow Fargo to expand into an area that frequently floods.

"It's an economic development project, as much as it is a flood project," said Dotzenrod. "Frankly, I'm kind of surprised that the federal government would want to have anything to do with it."

The new language passed 29 to 17. Both sides say the final decision on diversion funding will be hashed out in conference committee

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