Grand Forks will be seeing substantial benefits in the coming years thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law that U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer helped pass last year. Our city will gain greatly from the infrastructure law. Environmental restoration, water infrastructure upgrades, improved public transportation systems, and sustainable energy technology are among the benefits. Grand Forks and the state of North Dakota will be better positioned for future growth and prosperity as a result of this.
Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, North Dakota is set to receive roughly $80 million over the next five years to clean up and remediate orphaned oil and gas wells across the state, including along the Bakken Formation and nearly 100 other sites. These abandoned oil and gas sites contribute to poor air quality, contaminate local water supplies, and pose serious health and safety risks for the local communities surrounding them. Addressing them through cleanup, restoration and environmental remediation will help improve air quality while preserving our precious natural resources for generations to come.
Additionally, the bipartisan infrastructure law provides $2.8 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development to help North Dakota improve our state’s water infrastructure. With the planned growth of Grand Forks and the incoming development on the northern end of our city, water has been a major concern. This funding will help alleviate any concerns of shortfall in the coming years. These investments in our city’s waterways will support our work at the state house, especially in the Political Subdivisions Committee which I sit on. One of the things we are prioritizing is ensuring that all communities can meet increasing water demands as our city grows. Additionally, making these critical investments goes a long way toward ensuring Grand Forks will continue to have access to safe, clean drinking water after the development of our new corn mill.
Greater access to inexpensive and accessible public transportation is another critical demand in Grand Forks. This infrastructure bill also succeeds in this area. In fact, under the bipartisan infrastructure law, North Dakota is set to receive roughly $21.6 million to fund a variety of transit projects and initiatives across the state. As our community continues to grow, our public transportation is vital in connecting people to economic, education, and employment opportunities, especially when they are first starting. On top of the funds allocated to our public transit initiatives, Grand Forks International Airport will be receiving over $1.4 million on improvement projects, furthering the growth and economic success of our city.
Improving access to public transit will also help us continue to reduce carbon emissions that pollute our air and contribute to the escalating consequences of climate change. To that end, the infrastructure law also makes considerable investments – $18 billion nationwide over the next five years – in critical carbon capture technology that will help drive emissions down even further. These investments in clean energy technology will enable our city and state to continue leading on carbon reduction through businesses like LM Windpower while supporting a stronger, more sustainable 21st century economy.
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As the youngest member of the North Dakota House of Representatives, I am especially grateful to Sens. Hoeven and Cramer for their vote on the infrastructure law. This law will provide critical investments that will help support a cleaner, more sustainable, and more economically sound future for my generation and generations yet to come. Our Republican senators are doing great work in Washington and continue to put North Dakota first, by working across the aisle to help lead on bipartisan solutions that will enable us to continue slashing emissions while advancing climate-smart, all-of-the-above energy solutions that protect our environment while strengthening our economy.
Claire Cory, a Republican, currently serves in the state house, District 42, representing the neighborhoods and communities surrounding UND. She was first elected in 2020.
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