A Senate panel on Wednesday supported $37 million for western South Dakota's regional rural water project and $1 million for Black Hills State University at Spearfish to plan a heating system using locally produced forest waste products.

South Dakota's Sen. Tim Johnson and Sen. John Thune announced proposed appropriations of a total of $67 million for projects in the state. The funding is part of the fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations bill the full Senate is expected to deliberate later this year.

Johnson, a Democrat, serves on the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee that paid $27.28 million for extending construction on the Mni Wiconi Rural Water System, distributing Missouri River water and supplies from regional wells to more than 55,000 residents. Another $10.2 million will support operation and maintenance costs for sections of the system operated by the Oglala, Rosebud and Lower Brule tribes.

Thune said the funds for the Spearfish college will allow for planning, engineering design and initial construction of a biomass-fired boiler and steam absorption chiller plant. Planning will include feasibility analysis for a combined heating, cooling and power generation plant using wood biomass as an energy source.

The subcommittee also endorsed:

• $2 million for the Perkins County Rural Water to to create a water distribution network to rural subscribers that will deliver treated water to about 300 farms, ranches, and two towns: Lemmon and Bison. Currently, the only two water systems in the project area are the municipal supply systems for the two towns. The rural areas now rely on well water of variable quality and quantity.
• $3 million to assist the state Department of Game, Fish, & Parks, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe to protect cultural resources and sacred sites along the Missouri River from erosion.