The Interior Department announced another $47 million in tribal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded the money to five tribes in North Dakota, South Dakota and New Mexico. That's in addition to $97 million already sent to Indian Country to improve infrastructure and water supplies.

"It is particularly important to create economic opportunities and local jobs for tribes that currently obtain water from some of the nation's most substandard water supply systems," said Secretary Salazar. "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is bringing these areas both high-quality drinking water and a brighter outlook for the future."

Funding to tribes includes:

• $6.4 million to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation of North Dakota. This additional funding will assist the tribes with continued construction of the Fort Berthold Rural Water System.
• $1.9 million to the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. This additional funding will assist the tribe with continued construction on five rural water system projects in South Dakota.
• $18.9 million to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to assist the tribe with continued construction of three projects within the Standing Rock Rural Water Supply System in South Dakota.
• $14.7 million for two Oglala Sioux Tribe rural water projects in South Dakota. The first project involves the Oglala Sioux Rural Water Supply Core System. The second project will include rural water system improvement on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This improvement will include rehabilitation of water systems at seven Bureau of Indian Affairs schools.
• $5.27 million to the Navajo Nation in New Mexico under modification to an existing contract for purchasing pipeline and related fittings for constructing key portions of the Navajo Nation Municipal Pipeline authorized as part of the Animas-La Plata Project by the Colorado Ute Settlement Act Amendments of 2000.

A total of $157 million in stimulus funds will be awarded to tribes.

Get the Story:
Recovery dollars boost tribal water projects (The Rapid City Journal 10/15)

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:
H.R.1 | S.1