Klobuchar Statement on Lewis and Clark Water Project Meeting

Statement

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar released the following statement after meeting with U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and other Administration officials to discuss completing the Lewis and Clark Regional Water Project. Klobuchar urged the Administration to honor their commitment to local communities and move this bipartisan project forward.

"The Lewis and Clark water project is critical to the economic development of southwest Minnesota. Delaying the completion this project is costing Minnesotans millions of dollars and hurting local economies. The federal government has made a commitment to these communities, and it must be kept. Today's meeting demonstrated how we can reach across state and party lines to serve the common interests of the citizens in our states, and I will continue to work to move this project forward."

In addition to Klobuchar, the meeting attendees included Senators Al Franken (D-MN), John Thune (R-SD), Tim Johnson (D-SD), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), along with Representatives Tim Walz (D-MN), Kristi Noem (R-SD), and Steve King (R-IA). Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Mike Connor and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director of Natural Resource Programs Sally Ericsson attended the meeting with Secretary Salazar.

When completed, the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System will provide treated water to 300,000 people in its member municipalities and rural water systems in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota.

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