Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Resources topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Department of Water Resources reports $570.1M carryover start; $133.1M spent so far this biennium
Summary
Rhys Haas said the agency began the biennium with about $570.1 million in carryover (oil extraction tax–funded projects) and has spent $133.1 million to date; some projects remain unobligated because of regulatory or timing issues.
Rhys Haas, director of the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, briefed the Budget Section on the department’s 2023–25 appropriation carryover and obligations.
Haas said the department is 100% special funded from oil extraction taxes and reported a Resources Trust Fund balance of about $414,000,000 and a Water Project Stabilization Fund balance of about $157,000,000. He said the carryover at the start of the biennium totaled approximately $570,100,000 and that $133,100,000 of that carryover has been spent to date. Most dollars were obligated to projects; the remainder is unobligated or awaiting regulatory approvals (he cited Valley City and South Mandan delays tied to FEMA and other approvals).
Haas noted that water projects often exceed the two-year biennium for completion because of short construction seasons and federal permitting timing; obligations provide sponsors the certainty to begin procurement and construction. He said some state-owned projects were held pending federal funds so the state can obligate federal dollars first.
Haas closed by offering to answer additional questions and providing the committee with the carryover bucket breakdown by project category.
