FM City Leaders Take the Flood Diversion Back to Washington D.C.

Our city and state leaders took the flood diversion fight back to Washington, D.C.
 
Local mayors joined Senator Hoeven, diversion authority leaders and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to gain more federal support for the project.
 
It was early October when the Minnesota DNR denied a flood diversion permit.

State officials had public safety concerns, saying the diversion could flood farmland upstream.

But that’s not stopping our leaders from working on a flood diversion plan which works for everyone.
 
“We feel that we can work together to try to find a solution, and that’s what our stand is going to be, let’s work together and see how we can work this out,” said Mayor Mahoney.
 
“I just focus on the end project: are we going to get flood protection for Moorhead, or aren’t we?” asked Mayor Williams.
 
Mayor Mahoney said the entire flood diversion project was initially estimated to take more than 12 years.

But after talking it over in Washington, it can be done in six and a half years with help from the federal government.

Senator Hoeven led a meeting with the Office of Management and Budget Director to make sure funding is in place, and get help working with Minnesota.
 
“We really made the case that we need to continue forward with permanent flood protection for the region,” said Sen. Hoeven. “We’re working with everybody, but we need to get this permanent protection in place.”
 
They all seem to agree: the meeting in Washington felt positive and made way for a lot of progress.

Mayor Mahoney said if a deal is approved, the federal government would give $50 to $70 million to the flood diversion project.
 
“We had those individuals that were normally not in the room at the same time with a common consensus and a promise about funding,” said Mayor Williams. “Which is something I don’t think federal projects ever get.”
 
Both mayors said they’re keeping a strong desire to work with Minnesota.

People living upstream have already filed a lawsuit against the diversion asking for a cheaper project which attains all necessary permits.

Since this project is federally commissioned, congressional power outweighs any denial from the state of Minnesota.
 
Mayor Williams said she’s meeting with officials in Chicago on Tuesday to make further plans for the diversion.