BISMARCK – Members of the State House Appropriations Committee have agreed to grant money for military base retention in the state, but to a lesser amount than requested in Senate Bill 2240.
SB2240 sought $900,000 for Minot, and $1 million to be divided equally between Grand Forks and Fargo. The Senate passed the bill 47-0 but it was amended in the House Appropriations Committee Thursday to $400,000 for Minot, and $200,000 each for Grand Forks and Fargo.
The amended bill was then given a Do Pass recommendation by a vote of 18-3-2 and will move to the House floor.
The money for Minot is to be used to prepare for the replacement of Minuteman missiles with the Air Force’s new Sentinel missiles. The start of the program is several years away but is expected to bring hundreds of workers into the Minot area.