Ensuring Internet Services for Families and Students

On Thursday I joined my colleagues in writing a letter to the President urging the Administration to support dedicated funding for small broadband providers to keep students and low-income families in their communities connected to the internet during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many small broadband providers have committed to sustaining critical broadband services and upgrades for students and low-income families who cannot afford payment during this public health crisis. But these small broadband providers—which contribute to more than 77,000 jobs and support more than $10 billion in economic activity in the United States—may be unable to continue to provide these services if customers are unable to pay for a prolonged period of time. Without support from the Administration, small providers may be unable to ensure that the communities they serve have access to critical internet connectivity.

CDC Publishes Interim Guidance for Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released interim guidance for meat and poultry processing facilities during COVID-19.

According to the CDC, all meat and poultry processing facilities developing plans to continue operating during COVID-19 should:

1. work directly with appropriate state and local public health officials and occupational safety and health professionals;
2. incorporate CDC guidance like this interim guidance and the CDC’s Critical Infrastructure Guidance; and
3. follow guidance from other authoritative sources or regulatory bodies as needed.

I am grateful the CDC struck the right balance with this guidance. When stringent regulations were rightfully issued for the Smithfield processing plant, my colleagues and I reached out to Secretary Perdue to make sure the Administration realizes most plants do not need that same heavy hand. This guidance makes it clear our concerns were heard. I thank the Administration for listening to farm country and working with us to ensure our robust food supply chain, which is critical to weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, remains in place.

CDC’s interim guidance outlines an assessment and control plan for meat and poultry processors. It includes straightforward rules for handling communal work environments while practicing social distancing, educating employees on best practices, screening workers for signs of early symptoms, properly using personal protective equipment (PPE), and managing workers who appear sick from the moment they show symptoms to the time they are cleared to return.

Other Grants for North Dakota

$17 Million for Project Tundra

The U.S. Department of Energy announced $17 million in funding for the University of North Dakota’s (UND) Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) for Project Tundra on Friday.

The Energy Department is continuing the Trump Administration’s work to bolster American energy dominance and support carbon capture projects in North Dakota. I thank Secretary Brouillette for delivering these funds for Project Tundra and supporting our energy efforts. This is a positive step as we await the Administration finally completing its final rules on the 45Q tax credit, allowing more producers and utilities to confidently invest in carbon capture projects.

$5 Million for North Dakota Department of Health

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded $5,075,000 to the North Dakota Department of Health. The grant will be used to finance the department’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) for Preve program.

$140k to Replace Old School Buses

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $140,000 to Valley Bus, LLC, located in Fargo, to replace older diesel school buses.

These funds are awarded as part of a $11.5 million investment to replace 580 older diesel school buses within 157 school bus fleets across the nation. EPA has implemented standards to make newer diesel engines more than 90 percent cleaner and has funded more than 1,000 clean diesel projects across the country, reducing emissions in more than 70,000 engines.

$3.1 Million in Head Start Funding Awarded to Turtle Mountain

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families Office of Head Start awarded a $3,107,060 Head Start Indian grant to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in Belcourt. American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote school readiness for children of AIAN heritage by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development. Head Start programs also offer traditional language and cultural practices to provide high-quality services to young children and their families based on the needs of the local communities.

$345k for Economic Planning in Grafton, Fort Yates, Agency Village, New Town

The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) under the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded four grants totaling $345,500 to North Dakota to establish an economic development planning framework, process, and strategy in the following four locations to support private capital investment and job creation in the region:

1. Red River Regional Council in Grafton received $192,500
2. Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in Fort Yates received $51,000
3. Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate in Agency Village received $51,000
4. Three Affiliated Tribes in New Town received $51,000

The comprehensive economic development strategy process is designed to bring together the public and private sectors in the creation of an economic development roadmap to diversify and strengthen the regional economy.

$237k for Water Quality and Source Protection Programs

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded two grants totaling $237,181 to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and the North Dakota Industrial Commission.

The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality received $133,181 authorized under the Clean Water Act to fund North Dakota’s Water Quality Management Planning program. This statewide program is designed to increase public awareness and understanding regarding the protection and improvement of water quality.

The North Dakota Industrial Commission received $104,000 authorized under the Safe Drinking Water Act to fund the State Underground Water Source Protection program in North Dakota. The funds will be used to help implement this program to ensure that underground sources of drinking water are protected from endangering injection activities.