<a id="pl.1.2"></a><var>1.2</var>memorializing the United States Congress to appropriate money for the Lewis &amp; <br/>
<a id="pl.1.3"></a><var>1.3</var>Clark Regional Water System.<br/>
<a id="pl.1.4"></a><var>1.4</var>WHEREAS, the Lewis &amp; Clark Regional Water System is a critically needed project to <br/>
<a id="pl.1.5"></a><var>1.5</var>improve the quality of life for over 300,000 people in the tri-state region, including those served <br/>
<a id="pl.1.6"></a><var>1.6</var>by the cities of Worthington and Luverne, the Lincoln County Rural Water System, and the Rock <br/>
<a id="pl.1.7"></a><var>1.7</var>County Rural Water District, by providing quality and plentiful drinking water and by expanding <br/>
<a id="pl.1.8"></a><var>1.8</var>economic development opportunities; and <br/>
<a id="pl.1.9"></a><var>1.9</var>WHEREAS, the 20 member cities and rural water systems have shown their strong support <br/>
<a id="pl.1.10"></a><var>1.10</var>by prepaying 99.6 percent of their cost share of the project, totaling $109.2 million, in several <br/>
<a id="pl.1.11"></a><var>1.11</var>cases a decade or more before expecting to receive a drop of water; and <br/>
<a id="pl.1.12"></a><var>1.12</var>WHEREAS, the States of Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa have shown their strong <br/>
<a id="pl.1.13"></a><var>1.13</var>support by prepaying 100 percent of their cost share of the project, totaling $44.3 million; and <br/>
<a id="pl.1.14"></a><var>1.14</var>WHEREAS, as authorized by Public Law 106-246, the federal government's remaining <br/>
<a id="pl.1.15"></a><var>1.15</var>cost share currently is $188.6 million, which leaves a remaining cost share of 48.5 percent; and <br/>
<a id="pl.1.16"></a><var>1.16</var>WHEREAS, Congress appropriated $26.5 million in fiscal year 2008 and $27 million in <br/>
<a id="pl.1.17"></a><var>1.17</var>fiscal year 2009, but only $10 million in fiscal year 2010 and likely even less in the fiscal year <br/>
<a id="pl.1.18"></a><var>1.18</var>2011 budget; and <br/>
<a id="pl.1.19"></a><var>1.19</var>WHEREAS, cutting funding for this vital infrastructure means the cost to the taxpayers <br/>
<a id="pl.1.20"></a><var>1.20</var>increases because of lost economic development opportunities and the federal government's <br/>
<a id="pl.1.21"></a><var>1.21</var>remaining cost share is indexed annually for inflation; and <br/>
<a id="pl.2.1"></a><var>2.1</var>WHEREAS, based on $10 million per year in federal funding, it is estimated it could take <br/>
<a id="pl.2.2"></a><var>2.2</var>until 2048 to complete the project, with Worthington not receiving water until 2030; and <br/>
<a id="pl.2.3"></a><var>2.3</var>WHEREAS, the prepayment funds by the members and states are either spent or fully <br/>
<a id="pl.2.4"></a><var>2.4</var>obligated to current contracts, so the construction schedule for 2011 and beyond will be entirely <br/>
<a id="pl.2.5"></a><var>2.5</var>dependent upon future federal funding; and <br/>
<a id="pl.2.6"></a><var>2.6</var>WHEREAS, in addition to keeping costs down for the taxpayers, the timely completion <br/>
<a id="pl.2.7"></a><var>2.7</var>of the project is very important so the member cities and rural water systems have access to a <br/>
<a id="pl.2.8"></a><var>2.8</var>critically needed water supply that will allow the tri-state region to continue to grow, thereby <br/>
<a id="pl.2.9"></a><var>2.9</var>benefitting the regional and national economy, as well as creating jobs during construction; <br/>
<a id="pl.2.10"></a><var>2.10</var>NOW, THEREFORE, <br/>
<a id="pl.2.11"></a><var>2.11</var>BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it urges the Congress <br/>
<a id="pl.2.12"></a><var>2.12</var>of the United States to honor its commitment by appropriating $35 million in fiscal year 2012 for <br/>
<a id="pl.2.13"></a><var>2.13</var>the Lewis &amp; Clark Regional Water System.<br/>
<a id="pl.2.14"></a><var>2.14</var>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota is <br/>
<a id="pl.2.15"></a><var>2.15</var>directed to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to the President of the United States, <br/>
<a id="pl.2.16"></a><var>2.16</var>the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the <br/>
<a id="pl.2.17"></a><var>2.17</var>United States House of Representatives, the chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the <br/>
<a id="pl.2.18"></a><var>2.18</var>chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, and Minnesota's Senators and Representatives <br/>
<a id="pl.2.19"></a><var>2.19</var>in Congress.<br/>