Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Minnesota DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr held an hour long conference call Monday about the Fargo Moorhead Diversion project. It’s the second time in the past week the two state officials have talked, prompted after a federal judge halted all construction on the $2.2 billion flood protection project because it doesn’t have the necessary permit from Minnesota. Dayton and Landwehr explained why the diversion project didn’t qualify for a DNR permit.
Dayton says he wants to meet with Moorhead area residents and those both upstream and downstream from the project to hear their thoughts on how Minnesota should proceed, before beginning any technical discussion on the future of the plan. Dayton says he will then meet with Governor Burgum and officials from both states and how they can move forward and may meet again next week. Dayton did say he would “consider” allowing North Dakota to apply for another permit.
Burgum says going back to “square one” would not be productive and long delays will only put Fargo and Moorhead at risk of catastrophic flooding.
Thanks to MNN Affiliate KFGO