Investing in North Dakota
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have worked to grow North Dakota's economy by supporting programs and initiatives that create jobs, build infrastructure and improve access to critical services.
My Red River Valley Research Corridor initiative was developed to promote economic development, create new jobs, and reverse the out-migration of young people leaving the state. I created the Energy Corridor to promote and advance North Dakota's energy production. In addition, I support North Dakota initiatives that promote economic development, strengthen our transportation network, increase affordable housing, improve water quality and invest in water infrastructure like flood control, maintain quality healthcare, and boost educational opportunities.
I have asked that the following North Dakota economic development and infrastructure initiatives be considered for federal funding for fiscal year 2010. Throughout the appropriations process I will continue to provide information about other North Dakota initiatives that are currently being reviewed.
If funded, these projects will not increase the federal budget at all. Instead they will come out of the budget level requested by the Administration.
Project Title: 55th Street East Grade Separation
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 1/2 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: Advanced Fast Steering Mirror for LITENING Pod
Project Recipient and Address: SEO Precision, Sherwood, ND
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Project Summary: SEO Precision, a small woman-owned company, will work with Northrop Grumman to improve the capabilities of U.S. combat aircraft by adding state-of-the-art fast steering mirrors to their LITENING targeting systems. Fast Steering Mirrors stabilize and direct laser beams to compensate for platform motion and vibration so they can maintain their accuracy and resolution over great distances. The Air Force is seeking to add an improved fast steering mirror to the LITENING pod. Doing so will significantly improve the accuracy of the pod's laser designator and the resolution the pod's target recognition camera. This will significantly enhance the precision targeting capabilities of almost every U.S. combat aircraft, including the B-52, F-16, A-10, F-15E, F/A-18 and AV-8B.
Project Title: Advanced Nanomaterials Research Facility
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, P.O. Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108
Requested Amount: $7 million
Project Summary: Through its center of excellence in advanced nanomaterials, North Dakota State University (NDSU) is advancing the United States' research mission in areas including coatings, polymers, photovoltaics and advanced catalytic materials. Having reached research capacity, NDSU requires additional laboratory space to continue its ongoing collaborations with its federal research partners, including Sandia National Labs, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the Departments of Defense and Energy. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) supports advanced materials and nanomaterials research and funds construction of new scientific research facilities. The requested funds will be used to construct a state-of-the-art research facility to help advance NIST's mission of promoting U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness.
Project Title: Advanced Tactical Fuels for the U.S. Military
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center, Grand Forks, ND
Requested Amount: $4,000,000
Project Summary: The UND Energy and Environmental Research Center is working with the military services to help reduce America's dependence of foreign fuel by 1) developing a deployable system for making hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles from JP-8, and 2) developing liquid fuels from domestic sources such as coal and biomass. These fuels burn cleaner and more efficiently than JP-8 and other current military fuels, can be blended with or replace JP-8, and can be used for battlefield production of fuel cell quality hydrogen. By developing a hydrogen production system that can be operated in the field on JP-8 and which has a small physical and thermal footprint, this project will enhance the deployability and reduce the vulnerability of military vehicles and systems that are powered by fuel cells.
Project Title: Air Battle Captain ROTC Helicopter Training
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, Grand Forks, ND
Requested Amount: $2,200,000
Project Summary: UND's Air Battle Captain program helps to relieve the strain on the Army helicopter pilot pipeline through Fort Rucker by producing flight-certified ROTC officers. The program also encourages more Army officers to become helicopter pilots by providing introductory helicopter flight training to West Point cadets. The Helicopter Flight Training Program at the University of North Dakota (UND) produces flight-certified degreed ROTC officers for the Army with an average of 200-250 hours of flight training. In addition, UND's program for West Point cadets has quickly become one of the academy's most sought-after summer recess training electives.
Project Title: Air Traffic Control Complex
Project Recipient and Address: Minot Air Force Base, Minot, North Dakota
Requested Amount: $19 million
Project Summary: This project will involve constructing an 11-story control tower as well as a consolidated facility to house base operations. This facility is required to replace the existing tower which is in need of major repair and to consolidate air traffic control and base operations. The existing control tower has many associated problems. It leaks badly during rainstorms and is inadequately heated and cooled. Communication and radar equipment in the existing tower may suffer catastrophic damage due to the frequent leaks.
Project Title: Antibodies Research
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota, 501 N. Columbia Rd, Grand Forks, ND 58202
Requested Amount: $3 million
Project Summary: The 2009 H1N1 virus outbreak underscored the importance of research and preparedness to deal with public health challenges. The Department of Energy's Office of Health, Safety and Security tracks H1N1, Avian Influenza (AI), and other potential pandemics and formulates health recommendations to protect U.S. workers and the operation of critical DOE missions. The University of North Dakota has partnered with DOE to research and develop therapeutic antibodies and vaccines to treat pandemic cases, including AI and West Nile Virus, that offer faster development time, broader protection and higher survival rates. The requested funds would be used to continue development of these antibodies and vaccines that have demonstrated strong results in past research and tests.
Project Title: Army Material Degradation
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $1,750,000
Project Summary: NDSU and Turtle Mountain Manufacturing will help extend the life of Army vehicles and structures by developing and field testing coatings with improved performance and dependability compared to those now used. The project will also complete development of a novel handheld sensor that can detect corrosion before it is visible. 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 and structures corrode faster than necessary. Much of this corrosion could be prevented if the services could detect corrosion earlier and if they used state-of-the-art coatings.
Project Title: 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 capital resource like this facility will result in the continued erosion of dollars directed to research, dollars that would otherwise be deployed to meeting agricultural research needs.
Project Title: Autonomous Power Management (APM) for C4I Electronics
Project Recipient and Address: Packet Digital, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Project Summary: Packet Digital will use its IC-based power management systems to help the military services reduce the weight and power consumption of the electronics their forces carry into battle. The military services have a high priority requirement to reduce the weight and increase the service life of the batteries for all the electrically powered systems that troops carry intro battle, such as radios, binoculars, cameras, and GPS receivers. Packet Digital will customize its PowerSage integrated circuit so the mission life of battery-operated systems can be extended by up to 400 percent. This will allow troops to carry fewer batteries when they deploy into the field, which means they can move faster and safer.
Project Title: B-52 Advanced Weapons Capability
Recipient and Address: United States Air Force
Requested Amount: $30,600,000
Project Summary: The B-52 advanced weapons capability program, requested on the Air Force's Fiscal Year 2010 unfunded priorities list, gives the B-52 the capability to carry GPS-guided "smart" weapons internally. This upgrade to the B-52 fulfills combatant commanders' requirements. Once fielded this system will enhance the value of Minot Air Force Base's B-52 fleet by giving them increased overall bomb-load capacity, fuel efficiency and operational range.
Project Title: Bioactive Polymers and Coating Systems for Protection Against Bio-Threats
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $4,500,000
Project Summary: In response to military requirements, NDSU and its industrial partner, Triton Systems, Inc., will develop a family of novel antimicrobial coatings that can be embedded on fabrics to block toxins, kill bacteria and control pathogenic biological agents. The fabrics will be used in the manufacture of items such as tents and chem-bio shelters. NDSU will contribute its unique high throughput combinatorial chemistry and bioactive R&D, which results in rapid and effective development of coatings. Triton will contribute its nanotechnology processing capabilities and its expertise in inserting newly developed solutions into real-life Defense programs.
Project Title: Blackbird Management, North and South Dakota
Project Recipient and Address: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services, 2110 Miriam Circle, Bismarck, North Dakota 58501
Requested Amount: $400,000
Project Summary: Congress authorized the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's Wildlife Services program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1931 to help manage problems caused by wildlife, including migratory birds such as blackbirds. Annual blackbird damage on sunflowers in the Dakotas and Minnesota is estimated at $40 million, with the greatest severity in North Dakota, which leads the nation in sunflower production. Blackbirds damage the ripening sunflower, which results in extensive yield losses. The Wildlife Services unit at APHIS has implemented damage control measures that have proven successful, including cattail management and decoy fields. The requested funds will be used to refine damage reduction methods and to develop new techniques at the Great Plains Field Station.
Project Title: Cargo Positioning and Content Tracking System
Project Recipient and Address: Goodrich Corp., Jamestown, ND
Requested Amount: $2,900,000
Project Summary: This project will permit Goodrich to develop an RFID-based system that will give the U.S. military the ability to use encrypted tag information and secure wireless communications to confirm the content, weight and location of all cargo containers and pallets in cargo aircraft at any location worldwide. This will reduce the amount of military equipment and supplies that get lost during transit and it will improve the ability to ensure just-in-time delivery to our combat forces. This could become an important new product line for the Goodrich facility in Jamestown.
Project Title: Center for Aerospace Human Factors Research and Innovation
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, Grand Forks, ND
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Project Summary: UND will conduct critical research on how the performance of the pilots and sensor operators of unmanned aerial vehicles can be affected by nutrition, sleep loss, illness, anxiety, diet and other factors. The services place great importance upon human factors research since the majority of aircraft accidents are the result of human error. This type of research is especially important in the emerging field of unmanned aerial systems since it is not known if the existing data from manned flight studies applies to unmanned systems.
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: $7 million
Project Summary: Biofuels made from abundant, renewable biomass feedstocks can help improve our national energy security, increase economic growth, and improve our environment. The Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota is participating in the U.S. Department of Energy's Biomass Program to help make cellulosic ethanol cost competitive by 2012. The requested funds will be used by EERC's Center for Biomass Utilization to continue development of new conversion and processing technologies that can produce electricity, heat, transportation fuels and value-added byproducts from clean renewable biomass.
Project Title: Center for Community Research and Service
Project Recipient and Address: Minot State University, 500 University Ave. W., Minot, ND 58707
Requested Amount: $900,000
Project Summary: Minot State University (MSU) is home to nationally recognized centers of excellence and advanced degree programs in rural crime and justice, nursing, disability services, social work and business. Using an internship-like model, MSU's Center for Community Research and Service will match the expertise and training of its students and faculty with challenges and problems faced by the communities it serves. The requested funds will provide MSU students with real-life, problem-solving experience in their chosen field by working directly with communities to research and develop solutions to address specific needs.
Project Title: Center for Nanoscale Energy
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, P.O. Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108
Requested Amount: $5 million
Project Summary: The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched a nanotechnology research effort to close the gap between nanoscience discoveries and nanomaterials that can be utilized in devices and systems to contribute to DOE energy security and affordability goals. With its center of excellence in nanomaterials research, North Dakota State University is working with DOE on the development of new nanoscale energy materials to help improve energy efficiency and reduce our country's reliance on foreign sources of energy. Through the project, researchers are developing catalysts to convert plant-derived oils to products currently derived from petroleum, and new solar cells that can increase the life of solar panels and boosts the amount of electricity generated by the sun. The requested funds will be used to continue this ongoing research.
Project Title: City of Bismarck and Burleigh County First Responder Upgrade
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. The requested funds would be used to implement a standard, high-speed mobile data system that will allow fire, medical, and law enforcement personnel to communicate, share and access data, such as building floor plans, and see, in real-time, who is responding to an emergency situation, such as the recent spring flooding of the Missouri River.
Project Title: City of Washburn Regional Water System Improvements
Project Recipient and Address: City of Washburn, PO Box 467, Washburn, ND 58577
Requested Amount: $400,000
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 the 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. The project is included on the State of North Dakota priority list.
Project Title: Computing Capability
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, P.O. Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108
Requested Amount: $5 million
Project Summary: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is one of the world's leading users of high performance computers in support of national energy and science research. Researchers rely on computing power and its applications such as simulations and modeling to help analyze theories and validate experiments that are dangerous, expensive or impossible to conduct. North Dakota State University (NDSU) is working with DOE and its national laboratories on national energy efficiency and renewable energy research initiatives. The increased computing power will allow NDSU to accelerate the material discovery and technology development cycle of energy technologies.
Project Title: Consolidated Security Forces Facility
Project Recipient and Address: Grand Forks Air Force Base, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Requested Amount: $11.6 million
Project Summary: This funding will construct a new facility to consolidate and modernize Security Forces functions on the base. Existing facilities are outdated, fail to meet existing standards and are spread across four separate locations on the base. Consolidating these operations into one location will improve emergency response times, command and control, and law enforcement and security operations.
Project Title: Continuing Authorities Program
Project Recipient and Address: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 441 G. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20314
Requested Amount: Language
Project Summary: Congress has authorized a series of continuing programs that allows the U.S. Corps of Engineers to address water resource problems in partnership with local sponsors. Under the Continuing Authorities Program (CAP), the Corps has the authority to plan, design and construct small projects, including those that address flood control (Sec. 205), emergency bank stabilization (Sec. 14), and aquatic ecosystem restoration (Sec. 206). Eligible projects with a local sponsor and match can qualify within the CAP funds provided annually by Congress. This action requests that North Dakota CAP projects, including Wahpeton Flood Control, Prison Farm Riverbank Restoration, and Drayton Dam, be considered within fiscal year 2010 funds.
Project Title: Cool Season Legume Research
Project Recipient and Address: University of Idaho, College of Agriculture, PO Box 444253, Moscow, ID 83844
Requested Amount: $500,000
Project Summary: As USDA's major extramural research agency, the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) funds research to help solve problems critical to our farmers, consumers, and communities. The United States has fallen behind in research on pulse crops such as dry edible peas, lentils and beans. Increased research funding is needed for the United States to remain competitive internationally. This is critically important to North Dakota, which ranks first in the nation in the production of lentils and dry edible peas. The requested funds will support ongoing research in North Dakota and four other states to improve plant genetics, crop management and new end uses for peas, lentils and chickpeas. Past research has resulted in advancements in root diseases, new plant varieties, and nutrition, which has helped lead to the rapid expansion of pulse crop acreage across the United States.
Project Title: Devils Lake Regional
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 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 for the state.
Project Title: Divide County Revitalization
Project Recipient and Address: Divide County, PO Box 49, Crosby, ND 58730
Requested Amount: $650,000
Project Summary: One of the purposes of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 is to prevent and remove blighting influences that impact communities. Divide County is home to the former Fortuna Air Force Radar Station, which was closed and subsequently placed on the federal government's surplus property list for disposal. However, in the 10 plus years the property sat idle on the surplus list, it fell into considerable disrepair and was subject to vandalism. The county has since been deeded the property; however, due to years of neglect, the site's buildings have been damaged beyond repair. The dilapidated buildings and debris littered across the site presents a significant safety hazard, and the property is virtually useless to the county unless the buildings can be removed. The funds requested would assist the county in reclaiming this former federal site to allow it to be used for the benefit of the county and its residents.
Project Title: Dynamic Data Flow Management System
Project Recipient and Address: Pedigree Technologies, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Project Summary: To win on the battlefield, warfighters need to be able to receive timely intelligence and other information tailored to meet their operational needs. But our ability to do that is constrained by the limited capacity of our communications and internet networks. Pedigree Technologies in Fargo will help solve that problem by developing a system that will automatically optimize the flow of video and sensor data over the limited bandwidth of tactical Internet Protocol networks. The system will automatically prioritize and optimize the flow of data to each user to ensure they get the exact data they need as soon as they need it. For example, video data that is sent to a ground soldier in the field may require immediate distribution at a lower resolution compared to video sent to an imagery analyst who needs less immediate information, but demands maximum resolution.
Project Title: Electronics and Materials for Flexible Sensors and Transponders
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $6,000,000
Project Summary: NDSU is exploiting state-of-the-art materials and manufacturing processes to design and prototype flexible and conformal low-cost, low-power radio-frequency sensors and transponders. These sensors will incorporate advances in antenna design, power management, and ultra-low power integrated circuits. This research responds to requirements issued by the Department of Defense and security agencies for miniature sensors and transponders made from flexible materials that can be covert, low-cost, low-power, long-range and disposable.
Project Title: Energy Development and Reliability
Project Recipient and Address: Bismarck State College, PO Box 5587, Bismarck, ND 58506
Requested Amount: $325,000
Project Summary: One of the primary missions of the U.S. Department of Energy is to promote the country's energy security through reliable, clean, and affordable energy. North Dakota is a national leader in domestic energy production with its vast supply of fossil fuels, including coal and oil, and its growing production of wind power, biofuels, and other renewable energy. The state is an energy exporter as its produces twice as much energy than it uses each year. The continued development of North Dakota's diverse energy resources is critical to our nation's energy independence and security goals. The requested funds will be used to promote and advance the region's energy industry through education, outreach, research and development. The Energy Corridor will work with energy researchers and industry to develop new and innovative ways to increase production, invest in the region's energy infrastructure, enhance electricity reliability, and develop new energy sources specific to the Northern Great Plains.
Project Title: Energy Education and Training for Military Personnel
Project Recipient and Address: Bismarck State College, Bismarck, ND
Requested Amount: $500,000
Project Summary: Bismarck State College (BSC) will provide web-based energy education and training to 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 proposed curriculum will improve recruiting and retention by allowing sailors to complete Navy-relevant higher education without having to attend an in-residence institution.
Project Title: Entrepreneurial Center for Horticulture
Project Recipient and Address: Minot State University - Bottineau, 105 Simrall Boulevard, Bottineau, ND 58318
Requested Amount: $350,000
Project Summary: The United States Department of Agriculture reports that consumption of fresh vegetables in the United States increased by 29 percent between 1980 and 2001 and projects that fruit and vegetable expenditures will have the highest increases among all types of foods through 2020. However, U.S. acreage of fresh market vegetables is declining and the U.S. imports far more fresh vegetables than it exports. Already a national leader in agriculture, North Dakota could help supply this growing domestic market. The Entrepreneurial Center for Horticulture will help grow the value-added organic and specialty vegetable industry in North Dakota by working with small businesses and producers. The requested funds will be used to assist North Dakota entrepreneurs entering the greenhouse vegetable market by providing business and technical assistance on varieties, production methods, product commercialization, distribution networks, and marketing. The Center anticipates working with more than 350 entrepreneurs throughout North Dakota generating new jobs and economic activity in our state's rural communities.
Project Title: Fargo Moorhead Metro Study
Project Recipient and Address: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (St. Paul District), 441 G. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20314
Requested Amount: $1,400,000
Project Summary: The Red River of the North, which flows through the cities of Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota, has exceeded flood stage every year since 1993. The region is prone to flooding, most recently during the spring of 2009. The U.S. Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for flood control in this country, indicates that a 500-year event in the region would flood nearly the entire city of Fargo and a large portion of Moorhead. The requested funds would be used to continue a study to determine potential flood control alternatives to protect the region.
Project Title: Fargo Moorhead Upstream Study
Project Recipient and Address: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (St. Paul District), 441 G. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20314
Requested Amount: $200,000
Project Summary: Congress authorized the U.S. Corps of Engineers to study the Red River of the North Basin, which is prone to regular flooding. The requested funds would be used to continue a multiple-purpose study to evaluate alternatives to reduce flood stages and restore aquatic ecosystems in the Red River Basin upstream of Fargo and Moorhead.
Project Title: Fossil Fuel Research and Development
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: $4 million
Project Summary: Fossil fuels supply 85% of the nation's energy. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy supports research and development to ensure the U.S. can rely on clean, affordable energy from our traditional fuel resources. As a leading developer of cleaner, more efficient energy and environmental technologies, the Energy and Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota is participating in this national research mission. The requested funds will be used to address strategic national energy issues, including advanced clean coal technology, carbon sequestration, and alternative transportation fuels.
Project Title: Garrison Dam, Lake Sakakawea
Project Recipient and Address: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Omaha District), 441 G. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20314
Requested Amount: $100,000
Project Summary: Lake Sakakawea is a federal lake operated by the U.S. Corps of Engineers and developed with the construction of Garrison Dam. The water at Garrison Dam is stored for flood damage reduction, power generation, navigation, fish and wildlife, recreation, irrigation, water supply and water quality. The Corps is responsible for the operation of Lake Sakakawea and the maintenance and inspection of Garrison Dam. The requested funds will provide additional operation and maintenance resources for the Corps for mosquito control in the city of Williston and the Trenton Indian Service Area.
Project Title: Garrison Diversion Unit
Project Recipient and Address: United States Bureau of Reclamation, Dakota Area Office, 304 East Broadway Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58501
Requested Amount: $70 million
Project Summary: The Garrison Diversion project is a rural water project authorized by Congress 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 Bureau of Reclamation's mission to manage, develop, and protect water in the interest of the American public, the requested funds will be used for ongoing federal operation and maintenance responsibilities as well as to provide safe and reliable water for rural and tribal residents.
Project Title: Grand Forks - East Grand Forks Flood Control
Project Recipient and Address: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (St. Paul District), 441 G. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20314
Requested Amount: $2,617,000
Project Summary: The cities of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and East Grand Forks, Minnesota, are located at the confluence of the Red River of the North and Red Lake River. The region is prone to flooding and the two cities were devastated by the 1997 flood. The Corps of Engineers has completed permanent flood control protection that proved successful in protecting area residents and businesses from spring 2009 flooding of the Red River of the North. The requested funds are for final modifications of the flood control project.
Project Title: Grand Forks International
Project Recipient and Address: Grand Forks Regional Airport Authority, 2787 Airport Drive, Grand Forks, ND 58203
Requested Amount: $9 million
Project Summary: This project will replace and relocate the existing terminal building. 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 Autism 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 has been called the fastest growing disability condition in the United States. In North Dakota, the number of children with autism has grown five-fold. 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 Department of Health and Human Services' Maternal and Child Health Bureau has emphasized the importance of ensuring equal access for all to quality health care. The Great Plains Autism Treatment Program is a community-based treatment and monitoring service that makes critical health care resources available to children with autism spectrum disorders and their families. Through utilization of telehealth and other distance technologies these children and their families are able to receive diagnostic and treatment services that otherwise would not be available in their communities.
Project Title: Ground and Source Water Technical Assistance
Project Recipient and Address: National Rural Water Association and ND Rural Water Association, Gateway Avenue, Suite 201 Bismarck, ND 58503-0585
Requested Amount: $16,800,000
Project Summary: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees the implementation of federal drinking water regulations and provides funding assistance to help communities meet these regulations. Often rural communities do not have the resources to employ a technical expert to keep up with the amount of and complexity of federal environmental and drinking water regulations. The requested funds will be used by the North Dakota Rural Water Association and other state affiliates to provide providing training, technical assistance, and representation to public water and wastewater utilities in rural communities.
Project Title: Head Attitude Tracking System (HATS)
Project Recipient and Address: Appareo Systems, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $2,500,000
Project Summary: Appareo Systems will develop a small, lightweight, GPS and inertial sensing and monitoring system for U.S. Special Forces who often must glide by parachute long distances to their target. HATS will allow parachutists to navigate at night to their target by using computer-generated "checkpoints" that thy can view on a heads-up display mounted on their helmets. The system will also allow "blue force tracking" of Special Forces team members.
Project Title: High Performance Tunable Materials
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $4,500,000
Project Summary: NDSU and its industry partner Paratek will develop new materials that will permit the design and manufacture of next-generation wireless systems for the military that are far smaller and more efficient than what our troops now carry on the battlefield. Finding appropriate materials that allow the creation of very dense circuits is a major bottleneck in the effort to develop new generations of RF tunable passive integrated circuits. Paratek already has a voltage-tunable material called ParaScan that outperforms other tunable technologies and which has been used to develop a revolutionary new class of electronically tunable radio frequency components that are incorporated in mobile phones and government radio systems. NDSU will use its world-class capabilities in combinatorial development and materials discovery to quickly investigate thousands of new material combinations to expose the optimum materials for further progress.
Project Title: High-Risk Youth Program
Project Recipient and Address: Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, PO Box 5007, Minot, ND 58702
Requested Amount: $400,000
Project Summary: Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, in cooperation with North Dakota State University, has piloted a model national program that targets high-risk elementary students, ages 6 to 12, using integrated child-, school- and family-focused interventions in order to move them toward a pathway of success. The program has resulted in gains in academic achievement, reductions in behavior problems, and improvements in social skills and social adaptability. 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. The North Dakota Department of Transportation has identified this project as a priority project.
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: $700,000
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: Lightweight Reliable Materials for Military Systems
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
Requested Amount: $3,500,000
Project Summary: UND will use its expertise in surface engineering and lightweight materials to increase the durability and reliability of the lightweight materials that the Army needs for the next generation of weapons and equipment. Activities will include developing launch tubes for the next generation cannon system out of lightweight metal alloy and composites, improving the wear characteristics of titanium alloys, and using additive surface technologies to extend the life of lightweight materials.
Project Title: MEMS Antenna for Wireless Communications Supporting UAVs in the Battlefield
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Project Summary: The University of North Dakota and Laserlith Corp. will design, test and demonstrate microswitch-based antennas capable of dramatically increasing the amount of data that can be transmitted to and from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). This is a high-priority military requirement. Antenna technologies based on Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) offer huge improvement in performance, cost and size. For example, they can provide 50% to 80% reduction in power consumption for wireless handsets and a four-fold improvement in radar sensitivity.
Project Title: Missile Procedures Training Operations Complex
Project Recipient and Address: Minot Air Force Base, Minot, North Dakota
Requested Amount: $10 Million
Project Summary: This project will construct a consolidated operations and training complex 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: Missouri River Basin Study
Project Recipient and Address: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Omaha District), 441 G. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20314
Requested Amount: $5,500,000
Project Summary: The U.S. Corps of Engineers is responsible for the management of the Missouri River Basin for its multiple purposes, including flood control, irrigation, navigation, recreation, and hydroelectric power. In 2009, Congress authorized the Corps of Engineers to conduct a study to determine whether changes are needed to the purposes authorized in the Flood Control Act of 1944 and other subsequent legislation. The study will help determine if changes to the authorized project purposes and existing Federal water resource infrastructure may be warranted. The requested funds will be used to continue this study.
Project Title: National Center for Hydrogen Technology
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: $3 million
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 crime rate in Indian Country is high and on the rise. However, tribal courts and police departments are underfunded and understaffed. A lack of American 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. The program has assisted 23 students from 13 tribes across the country, many of whom are practicing in Indian communities.
Project Title: Navy Shipboard Fire Resistant Composite Technology Program
Project Recipient and Address: Space Age Synthetics, Inc., Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $1,500,000
Project Summary: Space Age Synthetics, Inc. will develop composite structural materials that satisfy stringent Navy fire performance requirements and which can be used for structural applications on Navy vessels. Composite materials provide several advantages for Navy vessels due to their comparably lighter weight, greater strength and reduced maintenance over other materials. Till now, however, such materials cannot withstand excessive heat and maintain adequate structural integrity for shipboard use. Developing composite materials that are both strong and fire retardant will allow greater use of composite materials in marine as well as other applications.
Project Title: North Dakota Energy Workforce Development
Project Recipient and Address: Bismarck State College, PO Box 5587, Bismarck, ND 58506
Requested Amount: $1,900,000
Project Summary: North Dakota is a leading producer of energy in the United States with its abundance of oil and coal and its growing development of biofuels, wind power and other renewable energy. North Dakota is a net-exporter and supplier of energy on the U.S. power grid and access to qualified workers is critical to the electricity delivery and energy reliability of this country. The requested funds would be used to complete a collaborative project to address the growing need for skilled energy workers, particularly due to the rapid energy expansion in the Williston Basin.
Project Title: North Dakota Environmental Infrastructure
Project Recipient and Address: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (St. Paul & Omaha Districts), 441 G. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20314
Requested Amount: $15 million
Project Title: North Dakota Military Outreach Program
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota National Guard, Bismarck, ND
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Project Summary: The North Dakota Military Outreach Program is a State-Federal partnership with offices around the state that provides follow-up care and resources for all North Dakota's current and former service members and their families. Its team of trained outreach members meets with service members and their families to identify potential needs and help them solve these problems through veteran, local community, regional, statewide or national resources. The program puts special emphasis on reaching out directly to troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and their families to ensure they are receiving the medical, mental health, and other assistance they may need.
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 National Academies in its report "Above the Gathering Storm" illustrated the need to boost science, technology, engineering and math education in the United States. The North Dakota Partnership for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education helps to address this 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 three largest transit providers in the cities of Fargo, Minot and Grand Forks. Specifically, the funds will be used to replace buses and handicapped accessible vans and other transit capital needs. The North Dakota Department of Transportation, Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments and the cities of Fargo, Minot and Grand Forks have each identified this project as a priority for funding.
Project Title: Northern Great Plains Research, Mandan
Project Recipient and Address: USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, P.O. BOX 459, Mandan, ND 58554
Requested Amount: $543,171
Project Summary: The Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory ARS Center has been subject to budget cuts, and therefore this request is to maintain the center's funding at FY08 levels. This would restore funding for two research projects proposed to be cut at the Mandan, ND, center. One project provides economic and ecologically based science that will sustain farm operations producing biomass as feedstock for bio-based energy production. The other works with ranchers to develop feed management practices that use locally produced feed to prepare livestock for market.
Project Title: 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: The Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center in Fargo, ND, is an international center of excellence for agricultural research in USDA's network of Agricultural Research Service labs. However, a major gap remains between the discovery of molecular information and the use of that information in practical wheat, barley, and oat improvement programs. In order to counter threats to the nation's crops from natural or maliciously introduced pathogens and maintain our position in the world marketplace, plant breeders must be equipped with gene-specific markers that give them rapid access to traits of value. 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. By using molecular markers to identify and manipulate important genes, researchers are more effectively able to address major threats to production. 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 marker demands of the small grains breeding community.
Project Title: On-Vehicle Prognostics and Performance Prediction Solutions
Project Recipient and Address: Phoenix International, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Project Summary: Phoenix International will reduce the danger soldiers face from unexpected vehicle failures by demonstrating a system that will improve vehicle reliability predictions by using on-vehicle statistical data collection coupled with advanced durability analysis. The system will integrate sensors, on-vehicle processors and advanced durability and damage prediction software to understand how vehicles are preforming and to identify trends in vehicle health, part replacement, and aging. This will provide benefits such as fewer "in-service" surprises and failures, improved safety, and reduced logistics footprints.
Project Title: ParallelaVax Clinical Vaccine Testing
Project Recipient and Address: Aldevron LLC, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $2,500,000
Project Summary: Aldevron will conduct clinical trials of new vaccines targeted to pathogens and biothreats which endanger our troops. Aldevron has developed ParrallelaVax, which is one of the world's most effective rapid vaccine testing technologies, and is using it to develop vaccines that can protect military personnel against high priority bio threats such as HIV, influenza, encephalitic alphaviruses and smallpox. Together with its partner Maxygen, a leading pharmaceutical company, Aldevron can generate and test potential vaccines many times faster than is possible using conventional means. This technology can generate potential vaccines in the form of pieces of DNA called plasmids 10 to 100 times cheaper and up to 100 times faster than using normal processes.
Project Title: Parts-on-Demand for CONUS Operations
Project Recipient and Address: Alion Science and Technology Corp., Fort Yates, ND
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Project Summary: Alion S&T, a leading Defense contractor, is working with the U.S. Army to establish a precision manufacturing facility on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation to provide specially fabricated replacement parts to Army units in the U.S. It will be an expanded and more capable version of the Mobile Parts Hospitals now operating in Kuwait and Iraq. This facility will significantly reduce the idle days that result when vehicles have to wait for needed parts from the standard supply network, particularly for parts that are in short supply or no longer manufactured.
Project Title: Pollution Prevention by Chemically Active Coatings
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Project Summary: One of the Air Force's most severe environmental problems is its use of highly toxic and carcinogenic chromate-based materials in the painting of its aircraft. Thus it has an urgent need for an environmentally compliant chromate-free aircraft coating system that meets or exceeds current corrosion protection capabilities. NDSU and its industry partner AKZO Nobel Aerospace Coatings are working with the Air Force Research Lab to solve this problem. NDSU has developed and AKZO Nobel has licensed a totally chromate-free coating that shows great potential to meet the Air Force's performance requirements in corrosion protection, cost, operability, and health and safety, while performing as well or better than existing coatings. These Federal funds are needed so NDSU and AKZO Nobel can conduct field and laboratory testing of the coatings system on totally painted aircraft.
Project Title: Productization of Anti-fouling and Fouling-release Coating Systems
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $3,500,000
Project Summary: NDSU and its industrial partner, PPG Inc, will develop a new class of environmentally friendly antifouling coatings for use on U.S. Navy vessels. This research supports the Navy's goal of reducing maintenance and achieving 12 years between dry-docking of vessels. NDSU has developed a number of very promising candidates for the next-generation of Naval coatings which have the potential to save hundreds of millions of dollars a year by improving fuel economy through reduced drag, lowering maintenance costs, and increasing the time between dry dockings. PPG is a world leader in coatings and it brings extensive formulation, R&D, scale-up and production capabilities to the project.
Project Title: Raymond J. Bohn Readiness Center Addition
Project Recipient and Address: Army National Guard, Bismarck, North Dakota
Requested 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. The current space was designed under previous criteria and is currently limiting available support for deploying units. This project will construct a two story addition to the current readiness center that will supply the necessary administrative space to meet the current requirements of the pre-mobilization training and evaluation mission of the Joint Force Headquarters.
Project Title: Reconstruction of BIA Route 7 on the Turtle Mountain Reservation
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 IHS 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 IRR program allocation for this project, but additional funds are necessary to complete it.
Project Title: Red River of the North Basin Study
Project Recipient and Address: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (St. Paul District), 441 G. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20314
Requested Amount: $750,000
Project Summary: The Red River of the North Basin covers 45,000 square miles and flows south to north through North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota and Manitoba. Significant flooding has occurred throughout the basin. The requested funds will be used to refine hydrologics and hydraulic models of the basin using recently captured high-resolution digital elevation that will be used to help plan for and respond to future flooding of the Red River.
Project Title: Remote Diagnostic and Wildlife Disease Surveillance
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 USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's mission to protect the health and value of American agriculture and natural resources, the 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. The agrosecurity project accomplishes this by focusing on animal health and zoonotic disease models, disease diagnostics, and the ability to control the impact of a disease outbreak through animal identification, trace-back and rapid response.
Project Title: Renewable Energy and Products
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University, NDSU Dept. 4000, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Project Summary: The USDA's CSREES understands that biobased products and relevant processing technologies expand the role of agriculture in many ways. In order to move the emerging biobased industry forward, the CSREES supports research, development, demonstration, and pre-commercialization activities to address the challenges that face the biobased agricultural industry. 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 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: Roads in Closed Basin
Project Recipient and Location: Federal Highway Administration and the Spirit Lake Nation, Devils Lake Basin, North Dakota
Requested Amount: Language
Project Summary: Congress has previously authorized and funded section 1937 of the SAFETEA-LU highway bill to help address a serious road safety issue in north central North Dakota due to the chronic flooding of Devils Lake. This past action has made available Emergency Relief Program funding to help protect, repair and raise roads, including emergency access roads, in the Devils Lake Basin. The National Weather Service has indicated that Devils Lake will rise to a record level this year threatening many vital roads in the basin. As a result, work on this project must begin immediately. The Federal Highway Administration has funds set aside to help address this pressing safety issue. However, section 1937 limits the amount that can be "expended" in a fiscal year. This limitation is severely restricting the ability to start work on this project even though the funds to undertake it are readily available. The language proposed would allow for the release of accumulated funds under section 1937 for obligation this fiscal year in order to start this emergency work to stabilize, strengthen and raise several Bureau of Indian Affairs roads on the Spirit Lake Nation that are at risk for catastrophic failure. The change would not provide more funds than originally authorized.
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 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: Silicon Nanomaterial for Battlefield Medical Devices
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
Requested Amount: $3,500,000
Project Summary: Over 50% of battlefield deaths are due to uncontrolled bleeding. The military is seeking hemostatic devices that are better than ones that are now available to soldiers on the battlefield, which are only partially effective. Under this project, UND will work with an industry partner to complete development of a new generation of battlefield hemostats using nanofibers that are completely biodegradable in the body and are biologically safe. It will also begin designing and developing mass production manufacturing processes and tools capable of producing enough hemostats to meet the needs of the U.S. military. This could lead to the establishment of a commercial production facility in Grand Forks.
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: One of the purposes of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 is the expansion of the Nation's housing stock, particularly for those of low and moderate income people. 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 for housing of 43 elders, 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 land and funding for its construction.
Project Title: Staph Vaccine
Project Recipient and Address: NovaDigm Therapeutics Inc., Grand Forks, ND
Requested Amount: $8,000,000
Project Summary: NovaDigm will continue developing a novel vaccine that has already been proven in animals to prevent invasive infections caused by Staph, including methicillin-resistent Staph (MRSA). A vaccine is needed because Staph infections are increasingly resistant to treatment with antibiotics. Military members are at high risk to Staph infections. From 2002 through 2007, the services identified 1,608 cases of Staph. During that period, the monthly incidence of Staph infections in the military increased by 81%. Soldiers wounded in combat are particularly vulnerable. A study at a Baghdad field hospital found that approximately 50% of combat wounds were infected, in large part by resistant Staph.
Project Title: Stutsman Rural Water District Expansion Project
Project Recipient and Address: Stutsman Rural Water District, 1812 HWY 281 N, Jamestown, ND 58401
Requested Amount: $400,000
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 to existing users while increasing the ability to add new users to the system.
Project Title: Technology Development
Project Recipient and Address: Red River Valley Research Corridor, 33 South Third Street, Suite C, Grand Forks, ND 58201
Requested Amount: $300,000
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, and provide students, teachers and scholars throughout the country free access to its Theodore Roosevelt digital library. The comprehensive collection includes letters, diaries, photographs, and other documents by and about former President 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 that will make the collection more accessible and informative.
Project Title: Tribal Law Enforcement Training
Project Recipient and Address: United Tribes Technical College, 3315 University Drive, Bismarck, ND 58504
Requested Amount: $400,000
Project Summary: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) reports that 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, fewer than 3,000 tribal and Federal law enforcement officers patrol more than 56,000,000 acres of Indian Country. United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) in Bismarck, North Dakota, is an accredited postsecondary vocational institution that offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in criminal justice. UTTC recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the BIA to help assist the BIA in providing specialized training for law enforcement officials who serve on American Indian reservations. This funding would be used to help expand training and equipment within UTTC's criminal justice program.
Project Title: Trusted Discovery/UDDI
Project Recipient and Address: InfoTech - Minot Technology Center, Minot, ND
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Project Summary: The InfoTech Minot Technology Center is helping the U.S. military maintain military dominance over the enemy via "Network-centric Warfare," a new military doctrine that seeks to use information technology as a force multiplier. This project will provide 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 will link discrete, spatially distributed stand-alone military systems containing different streams of data (e.g., friendly force locations, intelligence, imagery and weather data) together in a web-environment to provide near real-time access from a single computer anywhere.
Project Title: Tunable MicroRadio for Military Systems
Project Recipient and Address: North Dakota State University Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Fargo, ND
Requested Amount: $7,000,000
Project Summary: Radios (wireless receivers and transmitters) are in 85% of military systems. NDSU and its industry partner Peregrine Superconductor are working to ensure that the next generations of military wireless systems meet the needs of future battlefields. They are developing an integrated tunable next-generation radio that will provide an 8-12 fold improvement in performance in terms of bandwidth, cost, power and size. This project aims at designing and developing a tunable radio-frequency (RF) front-end that will allow a single RF module to manage multiple radio requirements. This will allow improvements in the size and performance of the RF portion of wireless systems to be accelerated so they keep pace with improvements in the digital (microprocessor) portion. The result will be the fielding of advanced radios and wireless systems that give better performance, use less power, and are much smaller than would otherwise be possible.
Project Title: U.S. Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement
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: $5 million
Project Summary: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has partnered with the Energy and the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota on an ongoing cooperative agreement on national energy research. EERC is a leading developer of cleaner, more efficient energy and environmental technologies through its ten centers of excellence. The requested funds will allow NETL and EERC to continue its collaboration on a range of projects, particularly in the development and commercialization of technologies to reduce fossil energy emissions, sequester carbon, and integrate the production and use of hydrogen as a practical fuel.
Project Title: United Tribes Technical College
Project Recipient and Address: United Tribes Technical College, 3315 University Dr., Bismarck, ND 58504
Requested Amount: $500,000 increase over the President's budget request
Project Summary: United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) is authorized under Title V of the Tribal College Act to provide postsecondary career and technical education. 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.
Project Title: University of North Dakota Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Research, Education and Training
Project Recipient and Address: University of North Dakota Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, Grand Forks, ND
Requested Amount: $8,000,000
Project Summary: These funds will enable the UAS Center at UND to establish a research, education, training and flight testing facility on Grand Forks Air Force Base. The facility will be collocated with the emerging Department of Homeland Security and Air Force UAS missions. In accord with the BRAC decision to realign Grand Forks Air Force Base from a tanker base to a major base for unmanned aerial vehicles, the Air Force is helping to establish a UAV Center of Excellence at the University of North Dakota. The Center of Excellence is working on issues that must be resolved before the military services and other federal agencies can fulfill their goals for unmanned aerial systems, including resolving airspace issues which threaten to delay the bed-down of UAVs at Air Force and Air Guard bases around the United States.
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 million
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: Valley City Field Maintenance Shop Planning and Design
Project Recipient and Address: Army National Guard, Valley City, North Dakota
Requested Amount: $262,500
Project Summary: The current Army National Guard field maintenance shop was built in 1960. Since that time, bigger equipment and more sophisticated maintenance requirements have exceeded the capacity of the current facility. The planning funds provided for by this request will help to design 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: Valley City Water Treatment Plant Improvements
Project Recipient and Address: City of Valley City, P.O. Box 240, Valley City, ND 58702
Requested Amount: $600,000
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. The project is included on the State of North Dakota priority list.
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. Language is required to continue 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.