On behalf of the 21 members of the Lewis & Clark Rural Water System, a big thank-you to Congressman Gil Gutknecht for recently coordinating and participating in a meeting in the area with Congressman David Hobson from Ohio. Hobson is Chairman of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee. This subcommittee determines Lewis & Clark’s funding levels in the House. The meeting, which focused on the urban and rural benefits of the project, was an excellent opportunity for Gutknecht and local sponsors to explain and demonstrate to Hobson the importance of the project to not only southwest Minnesota, but also the entire tri-state region. Luverne, Rock County Rural Water, Worthington, and Lincoln-Pipestone Rural Water are part of the Lewis & Clark project. Hobson talked about the value of the Lewis & Clark partnership among federal, state, and local levels of government, which is a model he said needs to be encouraged. He also talked about the importance of completing projects as soon as possible in order to keep costs from increasing as a result of inflation. In the end, Hobson expressed his support for project funding, which will provide a big boost to the project in the House. Thanks again to Gutknecht for helping bring the Chairman to the area, as well as for the steadfast support and strong leadership he has provided to ensure this vital water pipeline project becomes a reality, especially during the past six months when South Dakota has been without a representative. He and Congressman King from northwest Iowa have really stepped up to the plate to fill in the gap, which is greatly appreciated. Troy LarsonExecutive DirectorLewis & Clark Rural Water System