Recent Press Releases

Washington, D.C. —  Senator John Thune today announced that important funding he requested for South Dakota has been included in the Fiscal Year 2008 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. The bill, which was reported out by the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, is scheduled to be considered by the full Appropriations committee Thursday.

"Today's subcommittee passage of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill signals good news for important projects across South Dakota," Thune said. "Our work to promote the importance of these projects for the livelihood of thousands of South Dakotans has paid off. I will continue to work to make sure this funding is included in the final 2008 Energy and Water Appropriations bill."

The Subcommittee included $60.409 million in funding for the following water projects:

 SenateCurrent Funding
Lewis & Clark$28 million$21 million
Mni Wiconi$30.909 million*$28.640 million
Perkins County$1.5 million$200,000
Total$60.409 million$49.840 million


* The Mni Wiconi Project also received an additional $9.526 million for operations and maintenance.

"This is important funding for continuing to provide safe, clean drinking water to the people of South Dakota. We must continue to work to make this funding a reality," Thune said.

    Senator Thune also worked to include funding for the following projects in the Senate bill:
  • $7 million to assist the State of South Dakota, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in managing recreational areas, wildlife restoration plans and cultural and historic sites as a result of the thousands of acres of land in South Dakota that were lost due to the construction of the reservoirs along the Missouri River ($4 million for construction and $3 million for operation and maintenance);

  • $3 million for the Big Sioux River Flood Control Project located in Sioux Falls;

  • $500,000 for a feasibility study on the James River regarding bank stabilization and channel restoration activities; and

  • $450,000 for the Watertown Flood Control plan.

  • Other South Dakota-specific projects in the Senate version include:
  • $100,000 for the Canyon Lake Flood Control and Water Quality Study in Rapid City.

  • $100,000 for the Missouri River Restoration Act to reduce sedimentation along the Missouri River.

  • $1 million for the Dakota Gold Research Association to fund new chemical processes for producing ethanol from cellulose material.

  • $3.5 million for the Sun Grant Initiative regional feedstock partnership at South Dakota State University to continue Department of Energy biomass research and development.


The Senate Appropriations Committee is slated to consider the Energy and Water bill on Thursday, June 28. The House has yet to consider individual projects within its version of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill.