Sen. Karen Krebsbach, right, talks with John MacMartin, president of Minot Area Chamber EDC, while awaiting the start of the chamber’s legislative forum in the State Fair Center Saturday. Krebsbach and Rep. Jay Fisher attended in person while several legislators participated remotely. Jill Schramm/MDN

An infrastructure bonding bill and funding for the intermodal facility in Minot are among bills that have passed one house and will be continuing through the legislative process in Bismarck.

House Bill 1431, which calls for bonding for projects such as Minot flood control, was supported by the Minot legislative delegation in the 74-17 House vote last Friday.

During a legislative forum sponsored by Minot Area Chamber EDC on Saturday, local legislators discussed Senate Bill 2245, which would provide $15 million to assist the Minot Area Chamber EDC in purchasing assets and building track for the intermodal operation that started up last October.

“It seems as though there’s a lot of support around the state for this project,” said Sen. Karen Krebsbach, who sponsored the bill. “They’re very excited to have the opportunity to be able to do the cargo shipping the way it’s being done, and it passed the Senate 46 to one. So that was an overwhelming response.”

The funding initially was to come from the Legacy Fund, but the bill was amended to draw money from the Strategic Infrastructure Initiative Fund.

“We’re ideally situated for this to be successful,” Sen. Randy Burckhard added. He noted agricultural producers will save between 10 percent and 40 percent on shipping costs

“So this is a win,” he said. “This is a big win for the intermodal project and for the area and the region around Minot.”

Rep. Jay Fisher said the House also is behind the bill and could possibly pass it by a large majority.

“A lot of education went into this,” he said. “But we need continued help because we have to overcome the fact that it looks like a Minot project, and yet it’s much, much bigger than that.”

Sen. David Hogue said operations of the Northwest Area Water Supply Project will be the next issue for Minot.

“As the NAWS project starts to progress, there’s going to be a question of who owns and operates NAWS,” Hogue said. “This is something that we’re going to have to focus on in the Minot community for certainly the next two years.”

Currently still in the House, House Bill 1063 identifies the membership of a NAWS advisory committee and gives the committee the authority to develop recommendations for legislative management regarding the transition of long-term operations and management. The State Water Commission would provide staffing and support for the committee and would exercise powers, such as setting water rates, in consultation with the committee.

Two other large water projects in operation — The Western Area Water Supply and Southwest Water Authority — have similarities in their governance, which is conducted by political subdivisions that are served or have a stake in the groups, Hogue said.

“We don’t have that set up for NAWS at this point,” he said. “We have the State Water Commission tentatively asserting their ownership of the project so far. In fact, their budget called for the creation of some office space in the Lansford area.”