FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – North Dakota now has an Office of Outdoor Recreation.

Gov. Doug Burgum, alongside state agency officials and partner organizations, made the announcement on May 9. They say it will grow the state’s outdoor recreation economy by strengthening partnerships with the private sector.

North Dakota joins 21 other states in establishing a dedicated Office of Outdoor Recreation. The new office, created by executive order, is being launched using existing resources and personnel.

“This new office will allow us to better coordinate with stakeholders and state agencies as they develop plans, strategies and initiatives to maximize the impact of outdoor recreation in North Dakota,” Burgum said. “We are incredibly excited to connect even more deeply with our partners in the private sector who drive economic development and job creation in our state. From the sales and service of boats, RVs and ATVs, to hunting and fishing gear, bicycles and skis, outdoor recreation is a cornerstone of our state’s economic well-being.”

Among the speakers at Thursday’s announcement were representatives from the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department – which will serve as the administrative home for the office – the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, North Dakota Department of Commerce, Garrison Convention and Visitors Bureau, Woodland Resort, Action Motor Sports, and Save the Maah Daah Hey.

Officials say outdoor activities are contributing over $1 trillion annually to the U.S. economy. According to the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, North Dakota sees a $1.3 billion economic boost annually from outdoor recreation, and the Office of Outdoor Recreation is poised to further develop this sector within the state.

“I know I speak for my partners at Game and Fish and Commerce when I say we are thrilled at the opportunity to strategically connect with all outdoor recreation stakeholders in the private sector and state, federal and local governments,” said Cody Schulz, director of North Dakota Parks and Recreation. “The physical and mental health impacts of outdoor recreation are well known, and this office will help to drive the economic health of the state as well. This is about going from really good to great.”

The Office of Outdoor Recreation will promote economic growth, workforce recruitment and retention, enhance quality of life and preserve the state’s unique outdoor heritage. The combined efforts will unlock doors for critical investment, propelling further growth and innovation within the state’s outdoor recreation industry.

“Our members across the $1.1 trillion outdoor recreation economy are celebrating Governor Burgum’s leadership today in establishing the 22nd Office of Outdoor Recreation across the United States,” said Jessica Wahl Turner, President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “This office will be a catalyst for supporting North Dakota’s $1.3 billion outdoor recreation economy that creates nearly 14,000 jobs for North Dakotans. Outdoor recreation builds thriving economies, helps attract new workers and businesses, generates benefits for physical and mental health, and connects people to treasured natural places. North Dakota’s outdoor recreation businesses, organizations, and communities of all sizes will benefit greatly from the Governor’s deep commitment to the outdoors and we can’t wait to support their future work.”

In addition to significant investments in state and local park infrastructure, the 2023 North Dakota Legislature approved $25 million for Destination Development matching grants. Thirteen projects were funded, with all but one involving outdoor recreation.

As part of the Office of Outdoor Recreation launch, North Dakota Parks and Recreation announced three significant initiatives:

• $1.2 million was awarded to four applicants across the state for construction and rehabilitation of trails through the Recreation Trails Program Grant.
• The Roughrider Trail, a multi-use motorized trail south of Mandan, will be expanded from 16 miles to 20 miles and will connect Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park to wildlife management areas, a gun range, three boat ramps, two historic sites and two Morton County parks.
• The newly launched OuterSpatial mobile app directs users to special events and points of interest within North Dakota’s state parks and over 2,200 miles of statewide trails. The app is free to download for iOS and Android. It offers hiking challenges, an interactive social platform and insight into outdoor recreation opportunities in North Dakota.

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(Bismarck, ND) — North Dakota and several other states are suing the federal government following a ruling from the Biden administration, which would pull funding from schools and other organizations if they do not allow transgender people on gendered sports teams. 

The discussion surrounds changes to Title IX, which ensures fairness, safety, equality, and protection against sex-based discrimination across the United States. The Biden Administration added protections for people based on gender identity, sexual orientation, and sex characteristics. The rule change is now the subject of a lawsuit, as several states have joined together to strike down the new interpretation.

“Now the Biden administration thought they could just change it on their own, they could give any congressional action to change the entire meaning of it,” said Drew Wrigley, The ND Attorney General. “They’ve gutted the promise of Title IX and now the Attorney’s General are joining forces to push back.”

North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley spoke to the Flag’s What’s on your Mind. He says states can respect people’s identities and the integrity of the current rules in sports across the country. 

“I don’t think it’s that complicated; respect people’s decisions and respect their humanity, but insist also we can have – there are societies that don’t have gender specific bathrooms, we are not one of them”.

The announcement drew push back from the North Dakota American Civil Liberties Union, which condemned the action.

“If our elected leaders really wanted to protect and promote opportunities for girls and women in education and sports, they would be tackling and addressing the real problems, such as severe underfunding, lack of media coverage, sexist ideologies that suggest that women and girls are weak, and pay equity for coaches and players,” said ACLU Advocacy Manager Cody Schuler in a statement, “Trans students participate in sports for the same reasons other young people do: to challenge themselves, improve fitness and be part of a team. Transgender youth in North Dakota deserve all of the benefits that come with participating in sports. They also deserve joy, opportunity and protection, not more bullying from our elected officials.”

You can read the enacted changes to Title IX by clicking here. 

People live here. Yes, right here in South Dakota – our home that has often been derided as “flyover country”. For the first time in over 50 years, we have an opportunity to change that. We can have more affordable and convenient transportation options both within the state and to the outside world.

In February 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) conducted study workshops to identify how to better connect underserved parts of the country (as shown in the public domain map above, posted in wikimedia commons) with the passenger rail network.  The study recommended a new train route across the state that would connect Rapid City, Pierre, Sioux Falls and points in between with Denver and the Twin Cities.

Regrettably, in the wake of the April 2024 South Dakota State Railroad Board meeting, misconceptions have surfaced that could end up halting progress and perpetuating our isolation.  Some believe there is no travel demand here, while others claim that decades-long disinvestment in railroad infrastructure should stop us from ever having passenger rail service.  These unfounded assertions could not be further from the truth.

Travel demand

The FRA study concluded there is a lot of travel demand for trains through South Dakota, one of just two states in the ‘lower 48’ without Amtrak trains. This comes as no surprise for people who live here, as we are the home of two major population centers and a burgeoning tourist industry across the state.

Population density doesn’t ride trains, people do. People in our region have outsized travel needs compared to those in more population dense regions.

We often have to travel longer distances to reach essential services, more frequently, and in some adverse travel conditions, compared to those living on the coasts. Across the Amtrak network, long-distance trains, such as the Empire Builder service in North Dakota and Montana, perform exceptionally well — especially in rural areas like South Dakota.

The trans-South Dakota, Twin Cities to Denver, route has over 4 times the travel demand (on a per-mile basis) compared to the much-vaunted, and long-needed, route via southern North Dakota and Montana: the North Coast Hiawatha. Despite the Hiawatha’s potential lower travel demand, the FRA has recognized and supported the route through inclusion in the Corridor ID program. The Rail Passengers Association (whose board I sit on) conducted research which identified $271 Million in potential economic benefits to the states served, far exceeding the costs to operate the train.

In addition to the proposed North Coast Hiawatha restoration, the trans-South Dakota route has more travel demand per mile than the much-requested Denver-to-Dallas and Houston route (which includes a leg of the Texas Triangle proposed service) and the Twin Cities-to-Phoenix route.

If there is justification to expand Sioux Falls and Rapid City airports (which I support), there is certainly the demand for modal diversification – especially for a transportation mode that can more directly serve additional communities all across the state.

National investment value

While existing neglected railroad infrastructure in South Dakota does not currently support passenger trains, that has no bearing on the need for rail service in our state. Any transportation infrastructure upgrade faces engineering and implementation challenges. When we are spending billions of dollars subsidizing the highway and aviation networks (not just essential air services), we can find the money to get South Dakota ‘on the map’.

We should have as much right to federal investment as those living on the coasts and the Northeast Corridor in particular, where proponents are proposing a $9 billion redevelopment project for Washington DC Union Station, to enhance service to a metropolitan area that already has many rail options.

As South Dakotans, we already should be investing more in our state railroad system for freight and economic development. Not completing long-proposed freight-focused projects has real financial costs to operators and South Dakota taxpayers. As a start, SDDOT could pursue some of the $2.4 Billion in CRISI NOFO funding currently available and seize the opportunity to apply for a comprehensive grant to address all proposed freight rail projects across South Dakota.

With regards to the argument that the geology of Pierre shale precludes passenger rail service, trains could utilize the Mitchell – Chamberlain – Kadoka – Rapid City alignment due to it having fewer recorded soil issues. Regardless, I am quite certain engineers can find ways to address these challenges. If we can figure out how to safely build two new Hudson River tunnels, and create projects like the Gotthard Base Tunnel and Tibetan Railway, we can find ways to manage these soil issues safely and cost-effectively.

Finally, some argue that we should not invest in South Dakota passenger rail because the state will lose Special Transportation Circumstance (STC) grant funding. This would happen anyway when Minnesota or Iowa establishes passenger rail service that enters the state as proposed in their State Rail Plans. And while out-of-state connections to Sioux Falls are badly needed, they will do little to help western South Dakota 340 miles away.

Concluding thoughts

The Federal Railroad Administration’s comprehensive long-distance rail study resulted in the proposed network of routes that would greatly enhance transportation access across this country. The carefully-considered plan reflects the four primary criteria Congress established when considering potential new long-distance routes:

● link and serve large and small communities as part of a regional rail network;

● advance the economic and social well-being of rural areas of the United States;

● provide enhanced connectivity for the national long-distance passenger rail system;

and

● reflect public engagement and local and regional support for restored passenger railservice.

The proposed rail line across South Dakota meets all of these criteria.

Far from being too expensive to consider South Dakota for passenger rail service, Amtrak and the nation can ill afford to exclude us. We can ill afford to ignore the importance of South Dakota and railroads in our broader economy. South Dakota can continue to be isolated for decades to come, or we can join this nation’s growing passenger rail network. The choice is clear.

People live here!

Dan Bilka of Sioux Falls is co-founder and president,  All Aboard Northwest.  You can reach him at dan@allaboardnw.org