My top priority continues to be growing North Dakota’s economy. I want to create new job opportunities to encourage people to stay in North Dakota and to provide richer, fuller lives for their children. That is why each year, I fight hard to fund important infrastructure projects for our state, help our colleges and universities obtain federal funding for cutting edge research initiatives, help our military bases obtain the funding they need to remain top-notch facilities, help our agriculture industry become even more productive, and help provide our state with funds to improve health care, fight crime and grow our economy. I am committed to helping North Dakota initiatives have the resources they need to thrive and succeed in meeting the needs of communities across our state. Below is a list of my requests for consideration for federal funding during the fiscal year 2010 year.
Project Title: Advanced Tactical Fuels for the U.S. Military
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center, 15 North 23rd Street, Stop 9018, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $4,000,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center to continue its effort to develop alternative fuels for the Department of Defense. Researchers will develop a system to use biofuels to produce hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles. They will also develop a new group of liquid fuels from coal and biomass. With North Dakota at the forefront of developing coal and biomass technologies, these new technologies will provide for commercialization opportunities across North Dakota.
Project Title: Agriculture Research Service (ARS) Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks
Project Recipient and Address: Grand Forks Human Nutrition Center, 2420 2nd Ave N, Grand Forks, ND 58203
Requested Amount: Requesting $10,154,000, which would be $620,000 over the FY09 funding level
Project Summary: The Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center (GFHNRC) is one of six Human Nutrition Centers operated by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the United States Department of Agriculture and the only center located in a rural or major agricultural area. The GFHNRC clearly is in line with ARS’s mission of assessing the nutritional needs of Americans, as the foundations of research for the GFHNRC include obesity prevention, health roles of food, and dietary prevention of chronic disease. Unfortunately, in the past the GFHNRC has been subject to budget request to close the facility. This request maintains the FY09 funding level, as well as increases funding to restore the funding to the fiscal year 2008 level.
Project Title: Agriculture Research Service (ARS) Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, Mandan
Project Recipient and Address: USDA-ARS-NPA Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, P.O. BOX 459, Mandan, ND 58554
Requested Amount: Requesting $547,045, which would be $36,045 over the FY09 funding level
Project Summary: In the past, the Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory ARS Center has been subject to budget cuts, and therefore this request is to maintain the fiscal year 2009 funding level, as well as to increase funding for the Center to fiscal year 2008 levels. This funding will be used for two research projects at the Center in Mandan. One project researches how farmers producing biomass can maintain a sustainable and economic farming operation through science-based approaches. The other works with ranchers to develop feed management practices that use locally produced feed to prepare livestock for market.
Project Title: Agriculture Research Service (ARS) Northern Plains Regional Small Grains Molecular Genotyping Research
Project Recipient and Address: USDA-ARS Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center, 1605 Albrecht Blvd., NDSU, Fargo, ND 58105-5674
Requested Amount: $200,000
Project Summary: A major gap remains between the discovery of molecular information and the use of that information in practical wheat, barley, and oat farming improvement programs. In order to counter threats to the nation’s crops, plant breeders must have access to the best information available. The USDA-ARS Regional Molecular Genotyping Laboratory is a critical resource to apply genomic information and DNA molecular marker technologies in improvement and breeding of wheat, barley and oats. This project would increase funding for wheat, barley, and oat research through the genotyping project, which would allow the lab to maintain and strengthen its efforts to meet the increasing molecular information demands of the small grains breeding community.
Project Title: Agrosecurity Disease Surveillance and Public Health
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, P.O. Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Requested Amount: $700,000
Project Summary: Serving the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) mission to protect the health and value of American agriculture and natural resources, this joint Dickinson State University-North Dakota State University project aims to enhance the capability to quickly diagnose and respond to a potential disease outbreak in the U.S. agricultural food chain.
Project Title: Air Battle Captain ROTC Helicopter Training
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, 3980 Campus Road Stop 9007, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $2,200,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by University of North Dakota to continue its program that provides helicopter flight training to Reserve Officer Training Corps students during the academic year, and West Point cadets during their summer recess. The program has quickly become one of West Point’s most sought-after recess training electives. The program draws up to 45 three year scholarship students to the University of North Dakota each year.
Project Title: Air Traffic Control Complex
Project Recipent and Address: Minot Air Force Base
Request Amount: $19 Million
Project Summary: The existing air traffic control tower at Minot Air Force Base has many associated problems such as inadequate heating and cooling, as well as leaking during rainstorms. This funding will be used to construct an 11-story control tower and consolidated facility to house Minot Air Force Base operations. This complex will replace the existing tower, providing for more efficent control operations by consolidating operations by collocating the air traffic control and base operations.
Project Title: Bioactive Polymers and Coating Systems for Protection against Bio-threats
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used to produce new bioactive coatings to combat bio-terrorism. These new coatings will work to reduce, neutralize or control pathogenic, biological warfare agents in and on various surfaces, structures, and substances such as tents and other facilities. These coatings will help to safeguard the health and welfare of the warfighter, first responders and U.S. Citizens from biological warfare agents.
Project Title: Breckenridge Flood Control
Project Recipient and Address: United States Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District located at 190 5th Street East, Suite 401, St. Paul, MN 55101
Requested Amount: $4 million
Project Summary: This funding would be used for construction of the Breckenridge flood control project, which needs to be built concurrently with the Wahpeton flood control project.
Project Title: Breckenridge Flood Control Project Reauthorizing Language
Project Recipient and Address: United States Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District, 190 5th Street East, Suite 401, St. Paul, MN 55101
Requested Amount: Language
Project Summary: Although originally authorized in the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, the Breckenridge Flood Control Project was held up by the Office of Management and Budget until April 2007. Because of such long delays in funding this project needs to be modified. This reauthorization would allow funds to continue to this project, which would allow the Corps to initiate construction of the fourth and final in-town phase of the project which will help bring flood protection to Wahpeton, North Dakota.
Project Title: Burke, Divide and Williams Water System Association, Inc.
Project Recipient and Address: BDW Water System Association, 109 West Central Avenue, Crosby, ND 58730
Requested Amount: $500,000
Project Summary: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides funding assistance to communities to meet federal drinking water regulations. The communities of Noonan, Columbus, and Fortuna have high levels of arsenic, sodium, and dissolved solids in their current water source. These northwestern North Dakota communities cannot realistically afford to each implement their own costly treatment plants, so they have partnered with the nearby city of Crosby, North Dakota to develop a regional water system to comply with current and future EPA drinking water regulations. This EPA funding would be used to install a new pump station, pumps, and controls for approximately 250,000 feet of new water distribution lines to connect the communities.
Project Title: Center for Aerospace Human Factors Research and Innovation
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, 3980 Campus Road Stop 9007, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $800,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by University of North Dakota researchers to study the effects of nutrition and diet on the performance of aviation-related tasks. The Department of Defense has encouraged research to determine how to reduce human flight errors, which are the cause of the majority of aircraft accidents, and this project will be an important step in that effort. This will help to expand the capabilities of the Red River Valley Research Corridor and create new high paying research positions in the region.
Project Title: Center for Biomass Utilization
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center, 15 North 23rd St., Stop 9018, Grand Forks, ND 58202-9018
Requested Amount: $2 million
Project Summary: The Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Biomass Program works with industry, academia, and our national laboratory partners on a balanced portfolio of research, and a major effort of that program is to further develop opportunities for market penetration of biobased fuels and products. Assisting in this effort, the research within Energy and Environmental Research Center’s (EERC) Center for Biomass Utilization (CBU) project is leading to marketable technologies in bioenergy, biofuels, and biochemicals. The EERC’s CBU focuses on goals including: 1) development of economic technologies for converting domestic biomass to clean renewable fuels, 2) development of biomass gasification systems, 3) integration of biomass with fossil fuels, and 4) processing of biomass feedstocks.
Project Title: Center for High Performance Computing
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, P.O. Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Requested Amount: $5.7 million
Project Summary: The Department of Energy is one of the world’s leading users of high performance computers. They are able to use this to support open science research in a variety of areas. Through the Center for High Performance Computing, NDSU proposes to assist in advancing the needs of our country in the area of advanced computing research and education in the fields of science, including physics, chemistry, engineering and agriculture. This project aims to build a regionally significant high performance computing center driven by state-of-the-art hardware and intellectual expertise in computational science and engineering. The Center is already a training ground for new computational scientists, engineers, and technicians. The funds requested will aid in the expansion of that program as demand in these fields grows.
Project Title: Center for Nanoscale Energy-Related Materials
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, P.O. Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Requested Amount: $4.75 million
Project Summary: The Department of Energy’s Office of Science is pioneering the new field of nanoscience, and understands the importance of how studying matter at the atomic scale may allow researchers to design materials with properties tailored to specific needs, such as solar energy cells. At North Dakota State University’s Center for Nanoscale Energy work is being conducted that will enable, discover, develop and test nanomaterials critical to renewable energy and energy efficiency. The Center's focus will be on nanomaterials that will improve efficiencies by: 1) converting solar energy to electricity, and 2) designing and developing new catalysts to convert renewable organic materials into chemical feedstocks for industry. This work will not only help to improve energy efficiency, but it will also help to reduce our country’s reliance on foreign sources of energy.
Project Title: City of Bismarck and Burleigh County First Responder Project
Project Recipient and Address: Bismarck Police Department, 700 South 9th Street, Bismarck, ND 58504
Requested Amount: $250,000
Project Summary: The National Institute of Justice at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has concluded that lack of interoperability can severely hinder coordinated responses to natural disasters, catastrophic accidents, and criminal actions. Bismarck and Burleigh County are home to North Dakota’s capitol and second largest metropolitan area. However, Bismarck-Burleigh police, fire and other public safety departments operate under separate communications systems and are unable to exchange information across departments. This funding would be used to implement a standard, high-speed mobile data system across agencies that will allow fire, medical, and law enforcement personnel to communicate, share and access data, such as building floor plans and mapping application, and see, in real-time, where and who is responding to an emergency situation, such as the recent spring flooding of the Missouri River.
Project Title: City of Valley City Water Treatment Plant
Project Recipient and Address: City of Valley City, P.O. Box 240, Valley City, ND 58702
Requested Amount: $500,000
Project Summary: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides funding assistance to communities to meet federal drinking water regulations. The city of Valley City, North Dakota relies on a 35-year old water treatment plant that lacks redundancy and relies on a single softening basin that was recently identified as a moderate risk. Failure of this unit would result in a significant loss of water treatment capacity and could lead to a regulatory violation. This EPA funding would be used to replace the existing softening basin equipment, install a redundant chemical feed system and convert the existing pretreatment basin into a redundant softening basin. These modifications will ensure drinking water compliance and allow for future expansion.
Project Title: City of Washburn Water Systems Improvements
Project Recipient and Address: City of Washburn, P.O. Box 467, Washburn, ND 58577
Requested Amount: $200,000
Project Summary: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides funding assistance to communities to meet federal drinking water regulations. The city of Washburn, North Dakota must upgrade its 30-year old water treatment plant to address federal drinking water regulations, capacity, and aging infrastructure challenges through year 2030. In addition, surrounding communities and rural water systems have expressed interest in procuring water from the city to meet their current and future needs. A single consolidated water supply for the vicinity is not only the preferred alternative by each of these entities, it is also viewed as the most feasible solution to resolving infrastructure and drinking water compliance issues in the region. This EPA funding would be used to improve the water intake and treatment facility, construct new treated water storage, and install additional distribution lines.
Project Title: Consolidated Security Forces Building
Project Recipent and Address: Grand Forks Air Force Base
Request Amount: $11.6 Million
Project Summary: Currently Security Forces operations at Grand Forks Air Force Base are spread across the base and are located in outdated facilities that fail to meet Air Mobility Command standards. This funding will consolidate and modernize Security Forces functions at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. Consolidating these operations into one location will improve emergency response times, command and control and improve law enforcement and security operations.
Project Title: Construct Runway 13 Extension and Improve Safety Area, Devils Lake
Project Recipient and Address: Devils Lake Regional Airport, 106 National Guard St. N.W., Devils Lake, ND 58301
Requested Amount: $2 million
Project Summary: This funding would be used for several improvements to the Devils Lake Airport runway. These include the construction of runway 13 end extension, improving the safety area, relocating the perimeter road, relocating the runway 31 ILS system, and constructing parallel taxiway and lighting systems. This project would accommodate the problem of off-loading passengers or baggage due to runway length restraints. In addition, the safety improvements would provide an object free area over the state highway to meet FAA safety standards. The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission has identified this as a priority project.
Project Title: Cool Season Food Legume Research Program
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, 1735 NDSU Research Park Dr, PO Box 5756, Fargo, ND 58105-5756
Requested Amount: $235,000
Project Summary: North Dakota ranks first in the nation in the production of lentils and dry edible peas. These crops are susceptible to a number of yield-reducing diseases and insects, and effective agricultural research is essential to lowering costs of production for U.S. farmers. This funding will allow researchers from North Dakota State University and a five-state region to continue their research to improve plant genetics and crop management, study root disease and new plant varieties, and develop new uses for peas, lentils and chickpeas.
Project Title: Dakota Prairie Grassland Leafy Spurge Control
Project Recipient and Address: U.S. Forest Service, Dakota Prairie Grasslands, 240 W. Century Ave, Bismarck, ND 58503
Requested Amount: $350,000
Project Summary: The U.S. Forest Service identified noxious weeds as one of four interrelated threats to the ability to protect and restore our forests and grasslands to healthy conditions. A noxious weed called leafy spurge has infested the Dakota Prairie Grasslands in North and South Dakota, expanding approximately 10 percent per year since 1969. The Forest Service, which manages the 1.2 million acres grassland, concluded in its final environmental impact statement on its noxious weed management project that failure to control or eradicate infestation sites will displace native plant materials and spread weeds, which could be toxic to animals and humans. Funding to continue this essential noxious weed control project is expected to be included in the President’s fiscal year 2010 Forest Service budget request.
Project Title: Dynamic Data Flow Management System
Project Recipient and Address: Pedigree Technologies, 1805 NDSU Research Park Drive, Fargo, ND 58105
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by Pedigree Technologies in Fargo to develop a data flow management system that will automatically regulate data flow within tactical Internet Protocol networks. The amount of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data, particularly video data, is growing exponentially and is putting a strain on tactical IP networks. This funding will help develop a data management system that will optimize network resources by automatically prioritizing the flow of data that is sent to a user ensuring that the end user is getting the exact data that they need as soon as it is needed. For example, video sent to a ground soldier could require immediate distribution at lower resolution compared to video sent to forensic analysts who will need higher quality but with less urgency.
Project Title: Education for Democracy
Project Recipient and Address: The Center for Civic Education, 5145 Douglas Fir Road, Calabasas, CA 91302
Project Amount: $35 Million
Project Summary: The Education for Democracy Act programs such as the We the People program and Project Citizen are among the most cost effective programs supported by the federal government. These programs effectively promote among students a profound understanding of and commitment to the fundamental values and principles of American constitutional democracy as expressed in such seminal documents as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and the Gettysburg Address. From 2005-2008, 14,931 North Dakota students have participated in the civic education programs supported by the Education for Democracy Act.
Project Title: Electronics and Materials for Flexible Sensors and Transponders
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Requested Amount: $4,000,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by North Dakota State University to design and produce radio frequency sensors and transponders made of flexible materials. The Department of Defense and national security agencies have documented requirements for miniature sensors and transponders made from flexible materials that that can be covert, low-cost, low-power, long-range and disposable. This funding will exploit state-of-the-art materials and manufacturing processes to design, develop and manufacture highly miniaturized flexible radio-frequency sensors and transponders. These sensors will incorporate advances in antenna design, power management, and ultra-low power integrated circuits.
Project Title: The Energy and Environmental Research Center – U.S. Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota and Environmental Research Center, 15 North 23rd St., Stop 9018, Grand Forks, ND 58202-9018
Requested Amount: $5 million
Project Summary: The Cooperative Agreement between Department of Energy and the Energy and Environmental Research Center’s (EERC) at the University of North Dakota supports national energy goals and homeland security by advancing key areas of scientific knowledge and technical development that are essential for ensuring future sustainable supplies of affordable energy and clean water and for protecting and restoring the environment. The EERC‘s Cooperative Agreement incorporates both a basic program to generate fundamentally new insights for technology development and a larger joint venture program supporting technology development and commercialization, which has been cost-shared with nonfederal cash funding at fifty percent or higher.
Project Title: Energy Education Accreditation Training for Military Personnel
Project Recipient and Address: Bismarck State College, PO Box 5587, Bismarck, ND 58506
Requested Amount: $421,000
Project Summary: This project will be used by Bismarck State College (BSC) to establish a Web-based energy education accreditation program for Navy personnel. BSC has been designated by the U.S. Department of Energy as the National Power Plant Operations Technology and Education Center. Under this project, BSC will provide Navy personnel with an online curriculum which will give them an accredited education specifically related to power plant operations and technology. The Navy hopes the curriculum will improve recruitment and retention by allowing sailors to complete Navy-relevant higher education online.
Project Title: Fargo-Moorhead Metro Study
Project Recipient and Address: United States Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District, 190 5th Street East, Suite 401, St. Paul, MN 55101
Requested Amount: $1.4 million
Project Summary: With record flooding in the Red River Valley, especially in the Fargo-Moorhead area, it is critical that we look for a solution to protect this region from damaging floods in the future. This study will assess the feasibility of measures to reduce flood risk in the entire metropolitan and surrounding area. The study, which will be jointly conducted by the Corps and the cities of Fargo and Moorhead, will consider an array of potential alternatives including nonstructural flood proofing, diversion channels, levee/floodwall systems, and flood storage.
Project Title: Garrison Diversion
Project Recipient and Address: United States Bureau of Reclamation Great Plains Regional Office, P.O. Box 36900, Billings, MT 59107
Requested Amount: $70 million
Project Summary: The Garrison Diversion project is a rural water project specifically authorized to compensate North Dakota for the loss of more than 500,000 acres of land inundated due to the construction of the dams along the Missouri River. The project was reauthorized in 2000 with the enactment of the Dakota Water Resources Act to meet our state’s contemporary water needs. In keeping with the mission of the Bureau of Reclamation’s mission to manage, develop, and protect water in the interest of the American public, the funds that have been provided for the Garrison project have enabled the state to provide safe and affordable water to thousands of people.
Project Title: Grand Forks International Airport Terminal Replacement
Project Recipient and Address: Grand Forks Regional Airport Authority, 2787 Airport Drive, Grand Forks, ND 58203
Requested Amount: $2 million
Project Summary: This project will replace and relocate the existing terminal building at Grand Forks International Airport Terminal Replacement. A number of deficiencies have been identified with the existing terminal, which was originally constructed in 1964. A study was undertaken to fully investigate conditions in the terminal and to develop a plan for necessary improvements. The study noted numerous health and safety issues, including severe mold infestation, passenger boarding safety, code deficiencies, and the lack of an automatic fire protection system. Additionally, the safety of air operations is also a concern as aircraft parked at the current terminal block the line of sight between two of the runways. After a review of several options to address the deficiencies, it was determined that the most feasible alternative was to construct a new terminal in a nearby location. The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission has identified this as a top priority airport project.
Project Title: Great Plains Spectrum Disorders Treatment Program
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities – Minot State University, 500 University Ave. W., Minot, ND 58707
Requested Amount: $600,000
Project Summary: Autism is one of the most complex developmental disabilities to treat, and unfortunately rural and remote communities like those typical of most North Dakota counties face tremendous challenges in treating these children. The Great Plains Autism Treatment Program is a community-based treatment and monitoring service that will make resources available to people living throughout North Dakota by using telehealth and other distance technologies to diagnostic, treatment, follow-up and educational opportunities for children and families with autism spectrum disorders. The program assembles an interdisciplinary team of doctors, allied health professionals, educators, and specialists who have expertise in diagnosing and treating this complex disability.
Project Title: High Performance Tunable Materials
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Requested Amount: $2,400,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by North Dakota State University’s Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering to work with a commercial partner to develop new materials that will promote breakthroughs in radio technology and allow U.S. troops to carry smaller, better-performing equipment. Finding appropriate materials is a major bottleneck in the effort to develop new generations of RF tunable passive integrated circuits. North Dakota State University will use it world-class capabilities in combinatorial development and materials discovery to quickly investigate thousands of new material combinations to expose the optimum materials for further tunable applications.
Project Title: High-Risk Youth Program
Project Recipient and Address: Dakota Boys & Girls Ranch, P.O. Box 5007, Minot, ND 58702
Requested Amount: $400,000
Project Summary: The Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch has piloted in Fargo, North Dakota, a model national program that targets high-risk elementary students, ages 6 to 12, using integrated child-, school- and family-focused interventions to move high-risk children toward a pathway to success. The program has resulted in gains in academic achievement, reductions in behavior problems, and improvements in social skills and social adaptability. This funding would be used to expand the reach of this successful program to other parts of the state.
Project Title: I-29 Fargo North to Sheyenne River, ND
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota Department of Transportation, 608 East Boulevard Ave., Bismarck, ND 58505
Requested Amount: $2 million
Project Summary: This funding would be used to reconstruct 5.3-miles of the southbound lanes of Interstate 29. I-29 experiences a large amount of heavy freight movement to and from Canada, which has taken its toll on this segment. North Dakota Department of Transportation has identified this project as a priority project.
Project Title: Indians into Medicine program
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota, 501 North Columbia Road, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $750,000
Project Summary: The Indian Health Service is responsible for the delivery of health services to an estimated 1.9 million Federally-recognized American Indians and Alaska Natives. Congress authorized the Indians into Medicine program to address the shortage of American Indian health professionals and the substandard levels of health and health care on Indian reservations. The Indian Health Service-funded program identifies, recruits and graduates Indian health care professionals in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, and Wyoming. The program has graduated 176 medical doctors as well as over 315 allied health and nursing professionals, of which a majority are serving American Indian patients and tribal communities. Funding to continue this essential health education program is expected to be included in the President’s fiscal year 2010 Indian Health Service budget request.
Project Title: Indians into Nursing Program
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota, 430 Oxford Street, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $375,000
Project Summary: The Indian Health Service (IHS) reports more than 700 Registered Nurse positions remain unfilled in Indian Country. In addition, IHS reports that American Indians born today have a life expectancy that is on average almost four years less than the average U.S. life expectancy. Congress authorized the Indians into Nursing program to help address the shortage of American Indian nurses and improve health care on Indian reservations. The Indian Health Service-funded program focuses on recruiting and graduating American Indian students pursuing careers in nursing. The program has graduated 138 baccalaureate nurses and 29 advanced practice nurses, of which the majority is serving in American Indian communities today. Funding to continue this essential health education program is expected to be included in the President’s fiscal year 2010 Indian Health Service budget request.
Project Title: Indians into Psychology Doctoral Education Program
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota, 430 Oxford Street, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $300,000
Project Summary: Indian Health Service reports that the suicide rates among Native American youth ages 15-24 is 3.5 times higher than the national average and the second leading cause of death. Unfortunately, American Indians comprise the least number and percentage of licensed psychologists with fewer than 200 nationwide. Congress authorized the Indians into Psychology Doctoral Education Program in the 1992 Indian Health Care Reform Act to help address the shortage of American Indian mental health professionals. The Indian Health Service-funded program recruits and graduates American Indians into Clinical Psychology. The program has graduated 13 PhDs, of which six are currently working on North Dakota reservations. Funding to continue this essential health education program is expected to be included in the President’s fiscal year 2010 Indian Health Service budget request.
Project Title: i-SAFE e-Safety Education and Outreach Initiative
Project Recipient and Address: i-SAFE, Inc., 5900 Pasteur Court, Suite 100, Carlsbad, CA, 92008
Request Amount: $2 Million
Project Summary: i-SAFE is a non-profit foundation that has been providing, since 2002, Internet Safety curriculum to over 7.2 million students nationwide including 155,000 North Dakotans. Parents, educators, law enforcement and industry rely on i-SAFE to educate citizens in all 50 states about how to remain safe from online predators, consumer fraud, bullying and many other online victimization schemes. This funding will help i-SAFE reach 10 million students by the end of 2020.
Project Title: Lake Ashtibula and Baldhill Dam
Project Recipient and Address: United States Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District, 190 5th Street East, Suite 401, St. Paul, MN 55101
Requested Amount: $1.742 million
Project Summary: In President Bush’s FY09 budget, he proposes cuts to funding that would cause reduction of service and closures of recreation and public use facilities at Lake Ashtibula and Baldhill Dam. This requested funding will be used for basic operation and maintenance and dam-related activities at Baldhill Dam on Lake Ashtabula near Valley City. In addition, this funding will allow the Corps of Engineers to perform backlogged maintenance.
Project Title: Lake Sakakawea Operation and Maintenance and Mosquito Control
Project Recipient and Address: United States Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District located at 106 S. 15th Street, Omaha, NE 68102
Requested Amount: $100,000
Project Summary: This project will meet a variety of needs around Lake Sakakawea, a federal lake operated by the Corps of Engineers. Included each year in the president’s budget is funding for the continued operations and maintenance of Lake Sakakawea. In addition, this funding will provide for mosquito control in the city of Williston and the Trenton Indian Service Area. The Corps, through a cooperative agreement with the Williston Vector Control Board, uses this funding both to control water levels behind the levee to decrease mosquito habitat and for applications of certain pesticides during peak mosquito breeding periods.
Project Title: Lewis and Clark Legacy Trail
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota Department of Transportation, 608 East Boulevard Ave., Bismarck, ND 58505
Requested Amount: $343,750
Project Summary: This project involves the construction of approximately 3 miles of shared use paths on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. Currently, no pedestrian bicycle facilities exist along the project route, and people must travel on the roadways, which are narrow with little or no shoulders. This project would connect with the existing pedestrian/bicycle facility that was built as part of the Four Bears Bridge project to provide a total of 9 miles of pedestrian/bicycle access from residential areas to the tribal offices, health care clinic and retail facilities on the reservation.
Project Title: MEMS Antenna for Wireless Communications Supporting UAVs in the Battlefield
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota, Campus Road Stop 8637, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $2,400,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by the University of North Dakota and Laserlith Corporation to design, test and demonstrate new Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems communications technology that will be used in UAVs. Antenna technologies based on Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) offer huge improvement in performance, cost and size. For example, these advantages translate into a 50% to 80% reduction in power consumption for wireless handsets and a four-fold improvement in radar sensitivity. This will result in the creation of high-tech manufacturing jobs in the Grand Forks Area.
Project Title: Missile Procedures Training Operations Complex
Project Recipent and Address: Minot Air Force Base
Request Amount: $10 Million
Project Summary: The Minot Air Force Base is in need of an updated facility to house missile operations and training functions. This funding will construct a consolidated operations and training complex at the Minot Air Force Base that will bring together training areas, classified briefing rooms and other supporting functions into one facility. Combining these operations, which are currently located at several facilities on the base, will allow the 91st Missile Wing to more effectively manage and direct missile operations, including security of highly classified and sensitive information.
Project Title: National Center for Hydrogen Technology, University of North Dakota
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota and Environmental Research Center, 15 North 23rd St., Stop 9018, Grand Forks, ND 58202-9018
Requested Amount: $2,850,000
Project Summary: The National Center for Hydrogen Technology conducts research relating to development of a demonstration center capable of integrating, testing, and demonstrating hydrogen production and utilization technologies. This funding will allow the Center to continue its hydrogen research, which will expand new technologies to convert coal and other energy sources to hydrogen and develop new innovative methods of storing and transporting hydrogen.
Project Title: National Writing Project
Project Recipient and Address: National Writing Project, 2105 Bancroft Way, #1042, Berkeley, CA, 94720-1042
Project Amount: $30 million
Project Summary: The National Writing Project funds programs in teacher development, quality writing and research to help improve student performance in writing. This program provides support for more than 200 writing projects sites in all 50 states, including 2 sites in North Dakota, located in Minot and Grand Forks. Together, these sites administered 44 programs last year, providing important professional development opportunities to nearly 1,000 educators.
Project Title: Native Americans into Law
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota, 215 Centennial Drive, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $300,000
Project Summary: The violent crime rate in Indian country is nearly twice the national average, and more than 20 times the national average on some Indian reservations. However, tribal courts and police departments are underfunded and understaffed. A lack of America Indians trained in law hampers the delivery of justice to a significant segment of American society. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) assists tribes in building their capacity to address crime and crime-related problems in Indian country. This DOJ funded initiative helps to increase tribal justice capacity through the recruitment and retention of American Indian law students. This successful at the University of North Dakotaprogram has assisted 23 students from 13 tribes across the country, many who are practicing in Indian communities.
Project Title: North Dakota Partnership for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education
Project Recipient and Address: Valley City State University, 101 College St., Valley City, ND 58072
Requested Amount: $400,000
Project Summary: The mission of the Department of Education is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. Unfortunately, America has steadily been losing its global edge in math, science and engineering. The North Dakota Partnership for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education helps to address this problem in the state by increasing undergraduate and graduate participation in STEM programs, particularly technology and engineering. Funding would also be used for development and delivery of courses, certificates, and programs in STEM education, as well as focused workshops for K-12 educators for the infusion of STEM instruction into their curricula.
Project Title: North Dakota Statewide Transit
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota Department of Transportation, 608 East Boulevard Ave., Bismarck, ND 58505
Requested Amount: $4 million
Project Summary: Transit demand in North Dakota is growing statewide. Since 2000, ridership in the state’s urban areas has nearly doubled. Unfortunately, existing transit formula programs do not provide adequate support to keep pace with capital replacement and expansion needs of the state’s transit districts. The funds requested will be used to address the capital needs of the state’s four largest transit providers in the cities of Bismarck, Fargo, Minot and Grand Forks, as well as 30 rural/regional transit projects. Specifically, the funds will be used to replace buses and handicapped accessible vans and other capital needs. The North Dakota Department of Transportation, Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments and the cities of Bismarck, Fargo, Minot and Grand Forks have each identified this project as a priority for funding.
Project Title: Novel Methods for Detecting and Inhibiting Corrosion
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Requested Amount: $1,750,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by North Dakota State University’s Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering for a project aimed at extending the life of Army vehicles. Researchers will develop new ways of detecting corrosion before it is visible, and identifying ways to replace the old coatings with more effective coatings. This will help extend the life of Army vehicles by developing ways to detect corrosion before it is visible, and by identifying ways to replace the old coatings that are now used with more effective new commercial-off-the-shelf coatings. Most of the anti-corrosion coatings used on military vehicles and structures employ up to 40-year old technologies. This wastes taxpayer money since the vehicles corrode faster than necessary.
Project Title: Optical Gauge Recognition
Project Recipient and Address: Appareo Systems,1854 NDSU Research Circle North, Fargo, ND 58102
Requested Amount: $2,500,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by Appareo Systems in Fargo to develop and install Optical Gauge Recognition (OGR) technology in military aircraft. OGR will result in a significant reduction of operating costs by equipping small, light helicopters with high-tech low cost OGR systems. An OGR system uses a high fidelity camera to record cockpit instruments and convert them into standard engineering units that will be used to improve system performance information that will lower maintenance costs and increase reliability and safety. As a result of the project Appareo will be able to create new engineering/technical positions in Fargo and position the company to provide similar capabilities to the nation’s civilian helicopter fleet.
Project Title: ParallelaVax Clinical Vaccine Testing
Project Recipient and Address: Aldevron LLC, 3233 15th St South, Fargo, ND 58104
Requested Amount: $2,500,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by Aldevron, a North Dakota biotech company, to develop vaccines that can protect military personnel against high-priority biological threats such as botulinum toxin, Ebola and Marburg viruses, and influenza virus. This request will build on previous funding that allowed for the rapid and simultaneous testing of thousands of vaccine candidates to provide for human clinical trials of multiple promising candidates from this earlier testing. Past funding for ParallelaVax has helped to estblish Aldevron as a premier biotech company employing more than 70 people in Fargo. This new funding will help support those workers and provide for expansion opportunities.
Project Title: Parts-on-Demand for CONUS Operations
Project Recipient and Address: Alion Science and Technology, 106 Yates Street PO Box 478, Fort Yates, North Dakota 58538
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used to develop a precision manufacturing facility on the Standing Rock Reservation that provides specially fabricated replacement parts to U.S. Army units. The facility will ensure Army units can get replacement parts as quickly and cheaply as possible – particularly parts that are in short supply or no longer manufactured. This project will ultimately result in the creation of more than 40 high paying jobs on the Standing Rock Reservation.
Project Title: Productization of Anti-fouling and Fouling Release Coating Systems
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used to develop new coatings for Navy vessels that are environmentally safe and resist corrosion. These new coatings have the potential to save hundreds of millions of dollars a year by improving fuel economy through reduced drag, lowering maintenance coats and reducing the time between dry dockings. This research also supports the Navy’s goal of achieving 12 years between dry-docking of vessels. This will also help to further solidify the North Dakota State Center for Nanoscale Science as on of the premiere facilities for next generation coatings research.
Project Title: Railroad Separation on East Side of Minot, ND
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota Department of Transportation, 608 East Boulevard Ave., Bismarck, ND 58505
Requested Amount: $2 million
Project Summary: This project will construct a railroad separation on the east side of the city of Minot to provide better access for freight and emergency vehicles to Minot’s industrial park. The proposed separation will alleviate a safety and traffic bottleneck that exists due to the dramatic increase of truck traffic from the fast-developing energy industry. On average, the 55th Street crossing is blocked for 3 ½ hours per day, which causes daily delays for more than 300 vehicles. Emergency vehicles now take a longer route to avoid crossing delays, which greatly increases response times. The construction of a grade separation would provide a 24-hour truck and emergency vehicle route which would be unimpeded by train traffic. This project has been identified as a priority by the North Dakota Department of Transportation and the city of Minot.
Project Title: Raymond J. Bohn Readiness Center Addition
Project Recipent and Address: North Dakota National Guard, Bismarck North Dakota
Request Amount: $1.84 Million
Project Summary: The North Dakota National Guard requires additional administrative space to accommodate additional personnel requirements for support of the Joint Force Headquarters in Bismarck. The current space was designed under previous criteria and is currently limiting available support for deploying units. This funding will be used to construct a two story addition to the current readiness center that will supply the necessary administrative space to meet the requirements of the pre-mobilization training and evaluation mission of the Joint Force Headquarters.
Project Title: Reading is Fundamental
Project Recipient and Address: Reading is Fundamental, 1825 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20009
Project Amount: $28 million
Project Summary: Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) enhances child literacy by providing millions of needy children with free books for personal ownership and reading encouragement from the more than 18,000 locations throughout all fifty states, Washington, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. North Dakota has over 70 RIF locations across the state. Together, these programs donated nearly 40,000 books and served over 8,000 needy children in North Dakota.
Project Title: Red River Basin-Wide Watershed Feasibility Study
Project Recipient and Address: United States Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District, 190 5th Street East, Suite 401, St. Paul, MN 55101
Requested Amount: $740,000
Project Summary: The proposed Basin-Wide Watershed Management Planning study would integrate several ongoing planning efforts. Study tasks include collecting basin-wide Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), refining hydrologic and hydraulic models, developing a basin-wide flood storage strategy, and assessing the potential for restoring aquatic ecosystems and improving water quality throughout the basin. This study will faciltiate local Red River Basin official’s efforts to set reasonable enhancement goals that would provide both local and regional benefits. I certify that I do not have any financial interest in this project.
Project Title: Renewable Energy and Products from North Dakota Biomass
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Requested Amount: $1 million
Project Summary: Biobased products and relevant processing technologies expand the role of agriculture in many ways. In order to move the emerging biobased industry forward, the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) is addressing the challenges that face the industry with programs that support research, development, demonstration, and pre-commercialization activities. The Renewable Energy and Products from North Dakota Biomass project is well aligned with this focus. The project will determine the economics, production, conversion and policy effects of biomass conversion to biofuels and other products. The goal is to identify a more affordable cellulosic feedstock that is cost competitive by 2012 using regionally available biomass. In addition, this project will study the production and management of appropriate crops, appropriate harvesting techniques, transportation and storage concerns and methods to efficiently convert biomass into biofuels.
Project Title: Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zones
Project Recipient and Address: Souris Basin Regional Planning Center, P.O. Box 2024, Minot, ND 58702-2024
Requested Amount: $400,000
Project Summary: Over the past fifty years, nearly two-thirds of rural counties in the Great Plains lost at least one third of their population. In North Dakota, 47 of the state’s 53 counties lost population between 2000 and 2005. The Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) zone program was created to help promote rural revitalization and community development in rural regions hit hardest by outmigration. In 1995, two REAP Zones were designated in North Dakota to promote economic development in 14 rural counties and two Native America reservations. The North Dakota zones were recently extended in the 2008 Farm Bill through 2012. The North Dakota zones have leveraged private and public funding to create 500 new jobs and assist more than 50 new rural business start-ups. During a time when job creation is a major priority throughout the country, this funding will be used to build on and leverage economic development opportunities in these depressed rural areas by supporting existing and new rural businesses.
Project Title: Rural Methamphetamine Education Project
Project Recipient and Address: Minot State University, 500 University Avenue West, Minot, ND 58707
Requested Amount: $500,000
Project Summary: Rural America continues to face a crisis with the dramatic increase in the manufacture and abuse of methamphetamine. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) National Drug Intelligence Center identified methamphetamine as the most significant drug threat to North Dakota. The Rural Methamphetamine Education Project was developed, consistent with the goals of DOJ’s COPS Methamphetamine Initiative, to help combat methamphetamine use and production in rural areas. Through past DOJ support, the project has reached more than 100,000 individuals in North Dakota through community discussions about meth and its adverse effects. This funding would be used to expand the project’s reach by making its presentations, research and community strategies available online. In addition, the project will continue its work in Indian Country and further develop law enforcement analysis tools, including a testing kit that will help in analyzing clandestine methamphetamine labs.
Project Title: Spirit Lake Elderly Complex
Project Recipient and Address: Spirit Lake Tribe, P.O. Box 359, Fort Totten, ND, 58335
Requested Amount: $750,000
Project Summary: North Dakota has a high population of senior citizens. This has resulted in the need to develop housing options for those elders living in the rural parts of the state. Presently, the Spirit Lake Nation has a waiting list of 43 elders for housing, which is far in excess of the number of available units. The funds requested would be used to construct an 18 unit housing complex for elderly members of the Spirit Lake Nation. The one-bedroom units will be targeted to seniors age 62 and older with incomes between 40-60 percent of the area median income. The majority of the units will be targeted to those with incomes at 40 percent of area median income, which is $14,520. This project would not only provide a model for other North Dakota tribes and rural communities, but would also create a central location for health providers providing services to elders. The Spirit Lake Nation has made this project a priority and has provided lands and funding for its construction.
Project Title: Stutsman Rural Water District Expansion Project
Project Recipient and Address: Stutsman Rural Water District, 1812 Hwy 281 North, Jamestown, ND 58401
Requested Amount: $200,000
Project Summary: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides funding assistance to communities to meet federal drinking water regulations. Stutsman Rural Water District provides water to rural Stutsman County residents and businesses. The water district has received several new requests for service, including possible expansion to nearby Spiritwood, North Dakota, as well as a backup water supply for the new Jamestown Hospital. This EPA funding would be used to lay a six inch pipeline paralleling the current three miles of pipeline from existing wells to the reservoir. When completed, the project will result in enhanced water quality and pressures to existing users while increasing the ability to add new users to the system.
Project Title: Strategic National Energy Security Solutions
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota and Environmental Research Center, 15 North 23rd St., Stop 9018, Grand Forks, ND 58202-9018
Requested Amount: $3.8 million
Project Summary: The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) is committed to advancing strategic energy technologies into the commercial marketplace. The EERC has a long history of partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in developing and demonstrating technologies critical to the future energy industry in the United States. The EERC also has a long history in partnering with the private sector to ensure that new technologies will be able to enter the commercial marketplace rapidly. The EERC–DOE Strategic National Energy Security Solutions Program is focused on identifying the most critical issues facing the U.S. energy industry and working with the private sector to develop methodologies and technologies to address these issues.
Project Title: The Arts in Education program
Project Recipient and Address: The Arts in Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4W343, LBJ
Project Amount: $53 million
Project Summary: The Arts in Education program at the U.S. Department of Education funds arts education programs in schools throughout the country. This program also provides for professional development opportunities for arts educators, the ongoing national arts education initiatives of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and VSA arts, a program which ensures that people with disabilities can participate in the arts. The North Dakota Alliance for Arts Education and the Dakota West Arts Council are affiliates of the Kennedy Center Education Department and VSA Arts respectively. Each year, these North Dakota programs get important support and technical assistance through these two national organizations.
Project Title: Theodore Roosevelt Center
Project Recipient and Address: Dickinson State University, 291 Campus Drive, Dickinson, ND 58601
Requested Amount: $500,000
Project Summary: The U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education was developed to support innovative projects that improve the quality of postsecondary education and to increase student access. The Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University (DSU) will significantly enhance the training and preparation of DSU computer science and history students as well as provide students, teachers and scholars throughout the country through free access to its Theodore Roosevelt digital library. The comprehensive collection includes letters, diaries, photographs, and other documents by and about Theodore Roosevelt. The Theodore Roosevelt Center will add significant value to the digital collection by indexing the documents to make them fully searchable as well as developing interpretive exhibits which invite postsecondary students and others to view the collection in a way that is more accessible and informative.
Project Title: Therapeutic Antibodies to West Nile Virus and Avian Influenza
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota Research Foundation, 4201 James Ray Dr., Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $2.6 million
Project Summary: Both Avian Influenza (AI) and West Nile Virus (WNV) are extremely dangerous diseases that are known to cause death and have the potential to evolve into more highly pathogenic strains. This funding will be used to research and develop vaccines and antibodies for disease threats including AI and WNV. The Therapeutic Antibodies to West Nile Virus and Avian Influenza project will build on a unique approach to develop therapeutic antibodies to treat those infected by WNV and AI that offers a faster development time, broader protection, and higher survival rates. This research will aid the nation’s preparedness for an outbreak of Avian Influenza.
Project Title: Turtle Mountain Reservation, Construction north of Belcourt to the Tribal College
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota Department of Transportation, 608 East Boulevard Ave., Bismarck, ND 58505
Requested Amount: $2 million
Project Summary: The funds requested would be used to reconstruct 4 miles of BIA Route 7, which is a heavily traveled road on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation. The route provides access to several critical services on the reservation including the school, college, law enforcement, the Indian Health Services hospital, and several housing sites. The existing road is unsafe because of narrow shoulders, steep slopes and poor drainage. The reconstruction will correct many of these deficiencies and provide a safe route for tribal members. The Turtle Mountain Tribe has identified this project as a priority and has set aside several years of its Indian Reservation Roads program allocation for this project, but additional funds are necessary to complete it.
Project Title: Updated Agriculture Research Service (ARS) Facilities Study, Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center
Project Recipient and Address: USDA-ARS Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center, 1605 Albrecht Blvd., NDSU, Fargo, ND 58105-5674
Requested Amount: Language to direct ARS to conduct an updated facility study
Project Summary: The ARS Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center in Fargo, ND is an international center of excellence for agricultural research, however, the aging infrastructure of the laboratory and office space at the facility is in need of repair. The failure to address this issue at the facility will increase the likelihood of a catastrophic system event which will be extremely costly both financially and in terms of disruptions to research operations. In addition, increased operating, maintenance, and utilities expenditures associated with an aging facility will result in the continued erosion of dollars directed to research, dollars that would otherwise be deployed to meeting agricultural research needs. This project is a request that Congress direct ARS to conduct an updated facility study to replace the fiscal year 2004 facility study that is out of date.
Project Title: United Tribes Technical College
Project Recipient and Address: United Tribes Technical College, 3315 University Drive, Bismarck, ND 58504
Requested Amount: $4,500,000
Project Summary: United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) was authorized by Congress in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 to provide postsecondary career and technical education to the poorest American Indian populations in the United States, helping them achieve self-sufficiency. Since 1969, UTTC has provided comprehensive education and training to thousands of Indian students from over 40 tribes located in 15 states across the country. In 2008-2009, more than 1,000 students enrolled in UTTC’s 17 certificate and degree programs, including computer information technology, criminal justice, small business management, and practical nursing. Funding to continue and expand UTTC operation and maintenance is expected to be included in the President’s fiscal year 2010 Bureau of Indian Affairs budget request.
Project Title: Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI)
Project Recipient and Address: InfoTech, 15 2nd Ave. SW, Minot, North Dakota 58701
Requested Amount: $4,300,000
Project Summary: This funding will be used by InfoTech in Minot to adapt UDDI, a core internet service technology widely used in the business world, to the information needs of Navy net-centric warfare. This will provide for the first time a single web-based location where DOD users can go to access military databases around the world, while still protecting information security and authorization. It is part of the effort to build a worldwide DOD information network called the Global Information Grid.
Project Title: University of North Dakota Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Research
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, 3980 Campus Road Stop 9007, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $4,000,000
Project Summary: This funding will continue the efforts started in Fiscal Year 2006 to develop a comprehensive UAS research, education, training and flight testing laboratory at the University of North Dakota that will help to meet the critical need of providing highly trained UAS pilots. Due to the high demand for UAS operations around the world there is a critical shortfall in highly trained UAS pilots. This funding will help to set up a first of its kind civilian “pipeline” of highly qualified UAS Pilots. This will help to soldify Grand Forks’ position at the forefront of developing UAS technology.
Project Title: Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota, Odegard Hall, Room 200, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Project Summary: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the world leader in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research. Through its science directorate, NASA has launched satellites and other earth observing equipment to conduct research and collect observations from space. The Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium (UMAC) takes the data and research received from NASA satellites and makes it publically available to citizens in the Northern Great Plains for practical applications such as precision agriculture, land and soil management, carbon sequestration, and drought and flood mitigation. UMAC works with farmers, ranchers, educators, students and land managers in the region in utilizing its growing archive of more than 80,000 satellite and aircraft images to make everyday management decisions. This funding will continue these essential research and education programs.
Project Title: US 85 Theodore Roosevelt Expressway Corridor Study Phase II
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota Department of Transportation, 608 East Boulevard Ave., Bismarck, ND 58505
Requested Amount: $600,000
Project Summary: US 85 in North Dakota was designated as a high priority corridor in the 2005 highway bill. This funding would be used to develop the second phase of a corridor study to develop a long-range management plan and needs study for moving freight through the corridor. This corridor handles a large amount of freight movement, and the state would like to develop a strategic plan on how to improve this corridor. The North Dakota Department of Transportation has identified this as a priority project.
Project Title: Valley City Field Maintenance Shop
Project Recipent and Address: North Dakota National Guard, Valley City, North Dakota
Request Amount: $262,500
Project Summary: The North Dakota National Guard’s Valley City Armory is in need of a new field maintenance shop. The current field maintenance shop was built in 1960 and since that time, additional equipment size and maintenance requirements have exceeded the capacity of the current facility. The request for $262,500 will pay for the planning needed to construct a new facility that will satisfy the current and future requirements of the maintenance shop. The replacement of this field maintenance shop is the number one Military Construction priority for the North Dakota National Guard.
Project Title: Wahpeton Flood Control
Project Recipient and Address: United States Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District located at 190 5th Street East, Suite 401, St. Paul, MN 55101
Requested Amount: $123,000
Project Summary: This funding would be used to help construction of the flood control projects in the city of Wahpeton to aid against flooding of the nearby Red River of the North, Otter Tail River and Boise de Sioux River.
Project Title: Williston Radar Station
Project Recipient and Address: National Weather Service, Sloulin Field, Williston, ND 58801
Requested Amount: Language to maintain the existing NWS radar
Project Summary: The National Weather Service’s (NWS) primary mission is to provide accurate forecasts and warnings to help protect life and property. NWS operates a vital radar station in Williston, North Dakota that provides weather warnings that can save the lives of both people and livestock in northwestern North Dakota and northeastern Montana. Yet there have been proposals to shut the station down and rely solely on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Route Surveillance Radar-4 located more than 40 miles away. Residents and decision makers remain concerned about the ability of the NWS to adequately forecast weather, especially snow events, without the Williston radar. This request will require continued operation and staffing at the Williston Radar Station until research unequivocally documents that the FAA radar can provide coverage for all light to heavy weather activity in the region.
