SENATE APPROVES BILLS AUTHORED BY DORGAN AND CONRAD TO BOOST TOURISM, STATE REVENUE

Legislation will create Northern Plains Heritage Area, finalize state constitutional amendment

Friday, January 16, 2009

CONTACT: Justin Kitsch
or  Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- The U.S. Senate has approved two bills sponsored by U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad that will give a boost to North Dakota’s tourism industry and officially implement an amendment to the state constitution that was approved by voters in 2006. The legislation was approved as part of a package of bills.

One bill included in the package will create the Northern Plains Heritage Area along a free-flowing stretch of the Missouri River in North Dakota. The designation allows local communities to partner with the National Park Service to attract tourists and preserve the heritage of areas of the country with important natural, historical or cultural significance. Because the National Park Service provides only financial and technical assistance to Heritage Areas, the designation does not compromise local control over the use of the landscape. The bill was authored by Senator Dorgan and co-sponsored by Senator Conrad.

Another bill included in the package will allow the state of North Dakota to make better use of its Education Trust Funds, which are made up of land and other financial assets. The bill will overhaul statehood-era restrictions on the management of the Funds, allowing them to be managed in a way that maximizes the benefit to the state while ensuring they are preserved for future generations. This change, which was approved overwhelmingly by the voters of North Dakota in 2006 as an amendment to the state constitution, will supply the state government with as much as $10 million more annually in revenue from the Trust Funds. The bill was authored by Senator Conrad and co-sponsored by Senator Dorgan.

“The Senate approved a good package of bills today that will provide some real benefits to North Dakota,” Senator Dorgan said. “The Northern Plains Heritage Area will help us promote some of our fascinating historical and natural attractions. This is an area that was home to people like Sakakawea and General Custer, and this new partnership with the National Park Service will give our tourism industry a boost while ensuring we maintain local control over the land.”

“This bill is a win-win for North Dakota. In addition to creating a heritage area to educate tourists on the history of North Dakota, we are also fixing antiquated rules that deprived our children of badly needed, but readily available, resources,” Senator Conrad said. “By adopting my bill to amend the state’s Education Trust Funds, we will deliver a much needed and significant increase in resources to improve our schools without increasing the burden on the taxpayer.”

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