MT: Rocky Boy's/North Central Montana Regional Water System Receives Congressional and White House Support
Source: Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
The signing authorizes the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to design and construct and the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to oversee operation and maintenance of the regional system, through the Indian Financing Act of 2002. Now Montana's congressional delegates, in cooperation with their fellow lawmakers, can begin work on appropriating the $180 million dollars needed for the project over the 10-plus year period required for construction of the project. An additional $40 million will be provided by state grants and loans to local water users through the North Central Montana Regional Water Authority. Currently, project sponsors are awaiting receipt of $350,000 of federal funds previously appropriated by Congress for engineering studies and analysis.
"Now that the project is authorized the hard work starts," said Dan Keil, chair of the North Central Regional Water Authority. "There are some serious needs for safe drinking water in this region and on the reservation and we need to get started as soon as possible. As soon as January is here, we will be working with our Congressional delegation and with key committees in Washington to seek the funding necessary to move this project forward."
A final engineering report and an environmental assessment are needed prior to construction. The total cost of the project is over $220 million, with $180 million from the federal government and $40 million split between the state and the Authority.
Bruce Sunchild, Vice-Chairman of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, said "We are pleased to hear that President Bush has signed the bill, and are extremely grateful to our Congressional delegation which diligently pushed the bill through the congressional process. This legislation - when fully implemented - will be the culmination of almost two decades of work and negotiations in Montana between the Chippewa Cree Tribe, our neighboring non-Indian communities and the State."
The system will ensure that more than 18,000 residents of North Central Montana, including residents of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, will have daily access to (over 20 million gallons of) high quality drinking water. The water will be provided to communities, rural water districts, Hutterite colonies and other rural users in Toole, Liberty, eastern Pondera, western Hill, northern Chouteau, and extreme northeastern Teton Counties, as well as for livestock uses in the region. The system includes 450 miles of transmission pipeline that will connect to existing water supply mains and distribution lines throughout the area. The intake and water treatment facility are planned for a location near Tiber Dam on Lake Elwell in southwestern Liberty County. From the plant, a core transmission line will deliver water directly to the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, with non-core transmission lines branching off the core main line to all other areas to be served.
According to Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Regional Water System Coordinator, Rick Duncan, "Our next step is to coordinate the drafting of a more detailed engineering study of the service area, to update the work that's already been done. Upon its completion, the draft study will be reviewed by the Bureau of Reclamation for compliance with all applicable requirements, ultimately leading to completion of a final engineering report. Simultaneously, all parties involved will be working diligently to gain the necessary federal appropriations."
The projected ground
breaking date may be as early as the spring of 2004.
Contact:
Dan Bushnell
DNRC Public Information Officer
406-444-0465
dabushnell@state.mt.us <mailto:dabushnell@state.mt.us>