Agriculture and Water Management Interim Committee March Meeting

The legislature’s Interim Agriculture and Water Management Committee met on March 31 and addressed multiple significant topics. The meeting agenda and video are available on the legislative website.

Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring reported to the committee on multiple topics including, among others: 1) the potential benefits of expanding irrigation and drainage throughout the state; 2) the development of a new or updated model zoning ordinance related to animal feeding operations; and 3) capacity requirements to establish and sustain a fertilizer production facility in the state.

The committee then moved to its economic analysis (EA) study and Dr. Duane Pool from the Department of Water Resources shared the department’s presentation on potential changes.  In summary, those changes would include incorporating end of useful life and recaptured benefits. In addition, the EA would consider hydrology data changes over time. Dr. Pool represented these changes would not require statutory revision and, instead, could be accomplished with changes to the State Water Commission guidance document. The legislators seemed pleased with the changes expressed; however, they desired formal written changes and requested a review of the written changes at their next committee meeting in June. Furthermore, the North Dakota Water Resource Districts Association will meet with the department prior to June meeting to discuss the proposal.

The committee’s final topic involved the wetlands and inundated lands study. Various representatives from the Department of Water Resources, the Department of Water Quality, the Association of Counties, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service presented information regarding Devils Lake, water levels, inundated lands, easements, taxation, etc.

Wetlands easements. Jeffrey McCoy from Pacific Legal Foundation provided an informative presentation on the history of US Fish and Wildlife Service easements in North Dakota and current and past litigation.

The committee’s next meeting will be June 17 at North Dakota State University in Fargo.