The small North Dakota town of Fessenden faces a financial crisis after the Trump administration cut $1.9 million in federal funding for repairing their century-old wastewater lagoon – the oldest of its kind in North America. The project’s cost has ballooned from $4.2 million to $6.1 million due to inflation and delays. While the state approved $1.9 million to help cover the shortfall, residents of the 450-person community must now pay the remaining $4.2 million through water fees over 30 years, adding several hundred dollars annually per household. The funding was eliminated as part of cuts to FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, which Homeland Security called “wasteful and ineffective.” Officials say the deteriorating lagoon poses environmental risks to the James River and could force the town to shut down entirely if not repaired. The project will proceed this summer despite the financial burden, as local officials say they have no other choice to keep the community viable.
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