Fort Apache Reservation dam to get repairs from infrastructure deal

By Associated Press
Published: Thursday, May 19, 2022 - 1:43pm

A dam on the Fort Apache Reservation in Arizona will get a share of $29 million earmarked for safety repairs of aging dams as part of the federal infrastructure deal, the Department of the Interior announced Wednesday.

Three other dams — one on the Crow Reservation in Montana, and a pair on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota — will also get a share of the funds. It’s part of $150 million that will be used for repairs to six dams over the next five years.

An Associated Press analysis has tallied more than 2,200 high-hazard dams in poor or unsatisfactory condition across the country.

Last year's $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal was a priority for President Joe Biden. It included $13 billion for Native American communities.

“In addition to the resources we have allocated for irrigation power systems and water sanitation systems in Indian Country, today’s announcement will further safeguard Tribal water supplies, supporting families and communities," said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in a statement.

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