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November 7, 2011
Headquarters
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
ATTN: CECW-P (IP)
7701 Telegraph Road
Alexandria, VA 22315-3860
Wayne Hoglund
16646 31st R Street SE
Harwood, ND 58042-9720
To CECW-P (IP),
In a period of time when the government is very deeply in debt, to spend money for a very complicated and expensive diversion is almost ridiculous; especially when the Army Corps of Engineers declared their first choice as the Minnesota diversion. This is at a much lower cost and a lot less problematic; (Four rivers, numerous railroad crossings, Interstate highways, etc.).
To choose this expensive, complex Fargo diversion; it seems very logical that it is not the best solution, but a land grab by Fargo to have property to develop within what is basically a dike. If that is the case, then they shouldn’t be trying to secure the land by eminent domain; but rather come and negotiate with the owners on a realistic basis. That is my biggest gripe in that they want to buy my land at agricultural prices and when the diversion is finished, the property on the inside will be sold by the square foot. Also our property on the outside of the diversion; which currently is not in the floodplain, will be in the spillway. It already has lost major value with just the talk of this diversion. I will also lose land that I rent. Willi be compensated for lost income on that, I doubt it?
I have been told by engineers when I questioned a dike and levy system like Grand Forks has, that it can’t be built because of ground issues. I find this hard to believe when Fargo has 10 plus story buildings within two blocks of the river. This blatant grab for land by Fargo is how many people in the outlying communities are very negatively affected. I personally am going out of my way to do business elsewhere to avoid paying tax for something that is going to be a negative effect on me and my neighbors.
Wayne Hoglund
Agricultural Landowner
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