Gov. Rhoden and Colleagues Protect Missouri River
PIERRE, S.D. – Earlier this week, Governor Larry Rhoden and five Governors urged congressional leaders to protect resource management of the Missouri River. They sent a letter to leadership on the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. You can find a copy of the letter here.
“We look forward to working with you to ensure that any final legislation respects established principles of federal and state law while supporting the long-term needs of communities throughout the Missouri River Basin and beyond,” wrote Governor Larry Rhoden and his colleagues.
The letter urged congressional leadership to protect resource management of the Missouri River by removing Section 120 from the 2026 Water Resources Development Act.
According to Section 120, water cannot be diverted or exported from the Missouri River or any of its tributaries without unanimous approval from Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Wyoming governors. Furthermore, unanimous approval by the Missouri River state governors is required for the Corp of Engineers to simply study the possibility of such projects.
“Section 120 would grant the 10 governors of the Missouri River states absolute veto power over an entire sector of interstate resource distribution without any standards or guiding principles…This subordinates the Corps of Engineers’ statutory duties based solely on the whim of a single governor,” continued Governor Rhoden and his colleagues. “Such a provision is certain to invite protracted litigation, as well as delay necessary infrastructure projects.”
Governor Rhoden was joined in signing this letter by North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.
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