Minnesota awards $10 million to support Moorhead lift‑station work, MFDA staff say

The Metro Flood Diversion Authority learned at its recent meeting that the Minnesota Legislature approved a roughly $1.22 billion bonding package that includes $10 million allocated to the diversion authority for Moorhead lift‑station work, Executive Director Jason said. He said the remaining bonding funds will be directed to other mitigation projects in Clay County and the Buffalo/Red watershed.

Jason told the board the appropriation came late in the session and followed several years of lobbying and in‑person meetings in St. Paul. “After several years of getting out and attempting to get some funding, it was really rewarding that we were able to get $10 million out of the legislature,” he said, and he thanked partners including Clay County, the city of Moorhead and Buffalo along with the Fargo‑Moorhead‑West Fargo Chamber of Commerce for their advocacy.

The executive director did not provide legislative bill numbers during his report and did not specify an exact schedule for release of funds. He said the appropriation is expected to be used first for lift‑station work and that any remaining dollars would be applied to other mitigation projects identified by staff and local partners.

The board did not take separate action beyond acknowledging the funding; staff said they coordinated messaging with Minnesota partners and would incorporate the appropriation into project programming and budgets going forward.