WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest about $138 million of financial assistance from President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act--the largest climate investment in history--in 138 new climate-smart conservation easements, through which farmers and ranchers are conserving wetlands, grasslands and prime farmlands. These selected Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) projects ar  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on March 14, 2024: Today, March 14, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized 103 U.S. manufacturing plants that earned the agency's ENERGY STAR certification in 2023, a designation reserved for manufacturing plants in the top 25% of energy efficiency in their sector. Together, these plants prevented more than 8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the emission  more

ST. LOUIS, Missouri, March 15 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis issued the following analysis on March 14, 2024, by research associate Amy Smaldone and Mark L.J. Wright, economist and senior vice president: * * * From its founding, the United States of America has been almost synonymous with the concept of limited government./1 It is perhaps surprising, then, to find that there is a large number of governments in America: The U.S. Census of Governments estimates that there are more than  more

WASHINGTON, March 15 -- The White House issued the following news release on March 14, 2024: Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to serve as key leaders in his Administration: * Jennifer Lynn Homendy, Nominee for Chair and Member of the National Transportation Safety Board * Kelly Adams-Smith, Nominee for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Moldova * Jeremey Neitzke, Nominee for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipo  more

PIERRE, South Dakota, March 15 -- Gov. Kristi Noem, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release on March 14, 2024: Today, Governor Noem signed the following four agriculture and natural resources bills into law: * SB 111 revises requirements for mining and mineral exploration; * SB 165 creates the South Dakota-Ireland Trade Commission; * SB 173 provides a landowner-on-own-land license for antlerless elk; and, * HB 1065 makes an appropriation for the design and construction of the SHED  more

PIERRE, South Dakota, March 15 -- Gov. Kristi Noem, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release on March 14, 2024: Today, Governor Kristi Noem signed SB 53 (https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/24953) and SB 66 (https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/24922), which fund water and wastewater projects, into law. "Every South Dakotan needs safe roads, bridges, dams, and water infrastructure to live their day-to-day lives," said Governor Noem. "By funding all of these infrastructure project  more

MOBRIDGE, South Dakota, March 15 -- The South Dakota Department of Transportation issued the following news release on March 14, 2024: A bridge project is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 18, 2024, on S.D. Highway 63 south of Eagle Butte in Haakon and Ziebach Counties. Work on the project will include replacing the bridge joints, grinding the bridge deck, sealing the deck with a polymer to prevent infiltration of water and de-icing chemicals into the concrete to increase skid resistance. Th  more

CLEAR LAKE, South Dakota, March 14 -- The South Dakota Department of Transportation issued the following news release: During the week of March 18, 2024, work is scheduled to begin on S.D. Highway 15 from Clear Lake south to S.D. Highway 28. The initial work will focus primarily on tree removal along the fence line. Weather dependent, Highway 15 is anticipated to be closed to traffic in April to begin grading work. A detour will be provided along Interstate 29. Access for local businesses and r  more

BERESFORD, South Dakota, March 14 -- The South Dakota Department of Transportation issued the following news release: The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) will hold a pre-construction informational meeting to share details about the S.D. Highway 46 construction project planned from the east city limits of Beresford to the Iowa state line. The informational meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 25, 2024, at the Beresford Public Library, located at 115 S. 3rd St. in  more

NEW UNDERWOOD, South Dakota, March 14 -- The South Dakota Department of Transportation issued the following news release: The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT), in collaboration with Pennington County and the Federal Highway Administration, will hold two public meeting open houses to inform area residents about the Interstate 90 Local Roads Crossing Study. The first public meeting is planned for Wednesday, March 20, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the New Underwood Community C  more