BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum issued the following statement after a phone call this afternoon with Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton about the Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion Project.
“It was encouraging that Gov. Dayton and I agreed on the need to work together and try to find a path forward for this project, and that going back to square one would not be productive,” Burgum said. “As neighbors, we have a common interest in protecting lives and property from catastrophic flooding along our shared border, and long delays will only continue to put the public at risk.”
Burgum emphasized the need for comprehensive flood protection for the Fargo-Moorhead area, noting the metro came within inches of flooding in 1997 and 2009. The governors agreed to set up a call between their offices and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to discuss possible technical changes to the project that would address the DNR’s concerns enough to grant a permit.
The call concluded with Burgum saying flooding is “a real threat and needs serious attention on creating a permanent solution,” and Dayton saying they should work together to achieve that.