The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

St. Mary Rehabilitation Working Group (SMRWG) held a federal candidate forum by telephone for their October 10, 2018 meeting at Havre City Hall. All four candidates, Kathleen Williams, Matt Rosendale, Greg Gianforte and Jon Tester visited with the group. The candidates had received written information regarding the 100-year old Federal Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) irrigation and water project. Specifically, the Project provides food for more than one million people on an annual basis and water for 18,000 Hi-Line residents. Candidates spoke about how to repair the system for 20 of the 30-minutes interview with the remainder of time for questions from the SMRWG. In addition to the SMRWG, there were about 25 citizens including representation from the Montana Legislature. The candidates, after their presentation were presented with the following questions from the SMRWG:

• Since the St. Mary Working Group was first formed in November 18, 2003, according to the Treasury Department, total debt held by the public was $6.9 Trillion. Today total debt held by the public is $21.6 Trillion, yet the American Civil Engineer Society gives the US a D+ for infrastructure (https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org). How will we fund important infrastructure projects like the St. Mary/Milk River project?

• There is no process in congress for congressional representatives to propose projects (Mark Up) for funding that are managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. What changes could you make to this process to be more like the Army Corp of Engineers, in an environment without earmarks?

• What legislation would you propose to change the cost share to 25% beneficiaries and 75% federal? (currently the cost share is 75% beneficiaries and 25% Federal)

• According to this week's drought map (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/) 45% of the US and 55 million people are living in drought areas. How do we improve recognition of the value of irrigation?

• If we do not invest into the rebuilding of the St. Mary/Milk River project, Canada would be the sole beneficiary and they will use the water. How do we remain competitive when St. Mary Canada invest $10 to $15 million annually to irrigation and water infrastructure?

• Currently, Fresno Safety of Dams project is proposed for non-contract costs of over $50 million dollars to put a filter on the dam. The St. Mary Diversion structure is estimated to be over $40 million and each of the 4 Drops structures are approximately $3 million. At the current crops being raised in the Milk River Basin and the current federal projects on the Bureau of Reclamation's radar to be completed, how does an irrigator or district even begin to start budgeting for these large projects? Is federal assistance to a federal project realistic?

All candidates did express support for the Federal St. Mary/Milk River irrigation and water project. Williams noted her background as a water administrator with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. She focused on winnable solutions in times of drought. In the legislature she has experience in State bonding and was a member of the Compact Commission. She would try to find a workable solution for the aging infrastructure.

Rosendale recognized that agriculture is Montana's number one industry. Rosendale owns a 700-acre irrigated farm on the Lower Yellowstone. He has personally been impacted by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on his farm. He believes that environmental impacts, like ESA, should be absorbed by the Federal Government. He also pointed to the standard by which the BOR measures risk under the safety of dams' issue. They need to adjust this standard because its narrow focus increases the cost of the projects.

Gianforte noted that St. Mary/Milk River is the most important project in the State. It will require bipartisan effort because Congress cannot use earmarks (funding only for a specific project). It may be necessary to find other BOR irrigation projects with similar characteristics that are in need of funding. He did offer a Congressional Hearing as he is the chair of a subcommittee on Interior. The hearing would focus on aging BOR projects.

Tester talked about the worn-out infrastructure and the failure of the St. Mary/Milk River system is not acceptable. He recognized it is hard to get money in Congress because of the monetary imbalance. It would be best to have an infrastructure bill. He offered that he could introduce cost share change legislation on the Senate floor if desired by the SMRWG.

All the candidates agree that cost overruns by the BOR under the Safety of Dams Act, most recently the three million dollars overcharge at Nelson Reservoir, should be absorbed by the Federal Government and not passed on to the beneficiaries. However, without any congressional action, the beneficiaries will be charged for the overrun.

The SMRWG appreciated the participation of the candidates in the forum. Hopefully the questions provided an educational to all the candidates as to the fiscal imbalance and the lack of funding for critical infrastructure like the St. Mary/Milk River irrigation and water project.