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Letter:
Heitkamp passes the buck on diversion
Submitted By: Trana Rogne
KINDRED, N.D. — After 100 days in office, we know now the position of Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., on the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion project.
The statement from her local office was, “We will continue to press for federal funding for flood protection, and let the local authorities determine how to best use those funds.”
We are very disappointed with her statement. After all, she knows that North Dakota under her leadership passed the most protective eminent domain law in the nation, one that prohibits the government from taking private property for economic development.
She also understands the overriding purpose of the project. It is spelled out as a plan which would provide for future growth, remove flood insurance from the largest possible area and increase the density of the proposed development.
She must recognize the fundamental injustice of taking away upstream property owners’ development rights and giving those rights to Fargo.
And I’m sure she understands as well the basinwide positive results from the completion of new basinwide flood-risk reduction projects using distributed retention. Plus, Heitkamp also knows that more is possible through the Farm Bill she is working for.
The most disturbing implication of the statement “let the local authorities determine how to best use the funds” is the fact that by saying this, Heitkamp is giving up of her power as a U.S. senator to oversee the use of federal funds.
The plan was designed under the direct control of the “local non-federal sponsor,” as the Diversion Authority is called in the documents, and is for benefit of the Fargo metro area only.
None of this is really new — except for the abdication of the duties and responsibilities of a U.S. senator.
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Views: 105
Very good one Trana!
The Senator is getting her votes in order for reelection 6 years from now as she panders the larger Fargo voting majority.
Lets remember her.
Vote for a constitutional amendment of only 4 years term limit in the Senate and only Two terms.
Richard
On KVLY tonight, Hoeven said he will continue to work for the diversion in Washington, but Fargo needs to work with upstream people on the impacts.
This is the kind of Senator we need and will support.
Six years may seem like a long time for some – but for those of us who supported Heidi under the mistaken belief that she would stand up for Richland County – it won’t come soon enough.
After two phone calls to DC and two letters I have not received a response from Heidi Heitkamp.
Her North Dakota aid, Ryan Nagle said I would received a response, “ I wanted to get back to you and I will have a letter coming your way.
I apologize. We only have space for two people to help out with the Senator’s mail.”
My question about the Farm bill was responded to quickly, but the specific question, does the Senator support retention in the farm bill, was not answered.
The only conclusion is that the senator is not getting the questions or she does not want to answer the questions.
The statement from Ryan Nagle that —
“we will continue to press for federal funding for flood protection and let the local authorities determine how to best use those funds.”
This is not a acceptable response to questions of the FM Diversion plan that has such devastating impacts to those who voted for her.
Trana Rogne