South Dakota
Top SD environmental regulator says Biden-era law created ‘water renaissance’ in state • South Dakota Searchlight
Though he didn’t credit the Biden administration by name, South Dakota’s top environmental official recently praised one of the administration’s laws for spurring a “water renaissance that was overdue” in the state.
Hunter Roberts leads South Dakota’s Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Its responsibilities include the regulation of drinking water and wastewater systems.
The office awarded $689 million to 200 water-related projects across the state during the last several years, Roberts told a legislative committee last week at the Capitol in Pierre. The money came from the American Rescue Plan Act, known by the acronym “ARPA.”
“It created an opportunity to make that investment and, I think, move our state forward long-term when we look at water-wastewater infrastructure, which is critical,” Roberts said. “If we don’t have safe, clean drinking water, what else do we have?”
Congress passed the ARPA legislation in 2021. Then-President Joe Biden signed it into law that March. It included a total of $1.9 trillion in funding to stimulate the national economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If we don’t have safe, clean drinking water, what else do we have?
– Hunter Roberts, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources
South Dakota’s share was about $1 billion. Besides water and wastewater infrastructure, the money funded broadband internet expansion, infrastructure for housing, telemedicine initiatives, the construction of a new state public health lab, and more.
Roberts’ department used the water and wastewater money to make grants for local projects. The grants helped to pay for infrastructure such as storage reservoirs, tanks, water pipes, treatment plants, wells, pump stations, filtration systems and sewer lines.
Some local water systems had been diligent about upgrading and modernizing before the ARPA funds became available, Roberts said, but for the others, “those additional funds kind of spurred our utilities to get off their keister and make those investments that they maybe hadn’t made in 20 to 30 years.”
At another point in his presentation to the legislative committee — which included a broad overview of departmental activities — Roberts said he was excited about the end of the Biden administration. Roberts was appointed to his job in 2019 by then-Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican who’s since become President Donald Trump’s secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Roberts said the Biden administration enacted “overly broad, overreaching, unfounded” laws and regulations.
“It seemed like there was a lot of regulatory overreach coming from Washington, D.C., pushed down to the regions and the states that we didn’t like,” Roberts said.
He also acknowledged that Trump’s zeal for imposing tariffs could negatively impact international trade and industries that depend on it, including agriculture.
“That remains to be seen how that all works through the system, but it’s certainly something we’re watching closely,” Roberts said.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Governor Rhoden officially signed HB 1082 into law on Friday, March 27.
HB 1082 is a bill that establishes parameters for reimbursing school districts that provide free or reduced-price meals to students.
Representative Kadyn Wittman, who has worked to pass the bill for several years, expressed excitement and gratitude in a post to Facebook on Friday.
“10,000 kids across our state will now have access to free school meals. No stigma. No barriers. Just the support they need to learn and grow,” wrote Wittman.
“So incredibly grateful to everyone who made this happen. This is a big win for South Dakota families!”
You can see the full bill and its sponsors here.
Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Students at South Dakota Mines heard Wednesday from retired four-star general Maryanne Miller about her journey to the highest ranks of the U.S. military.
Miller is a retired four-star U.S. Air Force general. She is the only member of the Air Force Reserve ever to be promoted to this level.
She spoke about finding greatness and living a life of fulfillment. Her stories came from her time in the Air Force and as a volunteer for Saint Teresa of Calcutta’s Missionaries of Charity.
“We so much get focused on what is our next step in life, what’s the next career move, how do we make ourselves better in our career, and we forget about how do we make ourselves better as a human being,” Miller said. “Because they have to go tandem. If it’s not tandem, you’re going to get off track.”
Miller was commissioned in 1981 and rose through the ranks before becoming a four-star general in 2018. She was the only woman serving as a four-star officer in the military at the time. She retired in 2020 after serving for almost 40 years.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2026 KOTA. All rights reserved.
South Dakota
USDA to offer distaster assistance to South Dakota agriculture producers impacted by winter storms
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering financial and technical assistance to South Dakota farmers and livestock producers who may have been impacted by the recent winter storms.
“I encourage impacted producers to contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.” said Richard Fordyce, Production and Conservation Under Secretary.
FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners with financial assistance to restore damaged land and conservation structures or forests.
“Our staff will work one-on-one with landowners to make assessments of the damages and develop methods that focus on effective recovery of the land.” said Jessica Michalski, Acting NRCS State Conservationist in South Dakota.
For more information about the disaster assistance program, click here.
Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
DHS attorney said agents in Los Angeles should have ‘started hitting’ protesters, emails show
Lakers beat Nets, but Luka Doncic is facing suspension again after 16th technical
EU Parliament unblocks key political hurdle in digital euro talks
Man arrested in plot to firebomb Palestinian activist’s home after undercover op
Video: We Analyzed the Deadly Crash at LaGuardia
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
EU Parliament unblocks key political hurdle in digital euro talks
Man arrested in plot to firebomb Palestinian activist’s home after undercover op
WATCH: Senate hearing goes silent after Angel Father confronts top Dem over daughter’s death
US diplomat Marco Rubio denounces settler violence, tolls in Hormuz strait
Iran-linked hackers have breached FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal emails | CNN Politics
-
Detroit, MI1 week agoDrummer Brian Pastoria, longtime Detroit music advocate, dies at 68
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago‘Youth’ Twitter review: Ken Karunaas impresses audiences; Suraj Venjaramoodu adds charm; music wins praise | – The Times of India
-
Sports7 days agoIOC addresses execution of 19-year-old Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi
-
New Mexico5 days agoClovis shooting leaves one dead, four injured
-
Business1 week agoDisney’s new CEO says his focus is on storytelling and creativity
-
Technology6 days agoYouTube job scam text: How to spot it fast
-
Tennessee4 days agoTennessee Police Investigating Alleged Assault Involving ‘Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson
-
Texas1 week agoHow to buy Houston vs. Texas A&M 2026 March Madness tickets