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• Abandoning the Missouri River option also would mean that about $26 million worth of pipeline that has been installed between Minot and the river would be useless. Collyer in 2010 barred the state from doing design work on a water intake connecting the river and the pipeline.
• About $110 million of local, state and federal money has been spent on the project, and it could cost two or three times that to complete it, Freije said.
• About 240 miles of the planned 300 miles of pipeline has been laid, and the project already is supplying 17,000 to 20,000 people with water, though it is treated groundwater from the Minot plant and not Missouri River water. Once finished, the project could serve as many as 81,000 people, according to Freije.
• Freije said he doesn't expect the environmental study to be finished for another year, at which time the court battle would likely continue.
• "Ultimately, we'll do what we have to do because that area (northwest North Dakota) is growing and the existing water resources are deficient," Freije said. "We're just trying to meet the needs of our citizens."
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- The South Dakota Legislature's budget-writing committee is working to finish work on the next state budget as this year's legislative session comes to an end.
• The Appropriations Committee on Friday began going through a list of 58 changes proposed by lawmakers, but the panel rejected the first dozen proposals to spend more money.
• Gov. Dennis Daugaard has recommended a $4.1 billion budget that gives roughly 3 percent ongoing increases to schools, universities, and hospitals and other medical facilities that care for low-income people in Medicaid.
• Meanwhile, the Legislature is giving extra money on a one-time basis to school districts and Medicaid facilities.
• The Appropriations Committee rejected a request by Rep. Susan Wismer of Britton to add $5.8 million to give schools an extra 1 percent in ongoing state aid.
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A state official says Gov. Dennis Daugaard is setting up a group to study whether South Dakota should expand the Medicaid program to cover thousands of additional low-income people.

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