South Dakota’s Governor’s Resilience and Infrastructure Task Force (GRIT) presented its initial recommendations to Governor Larry Rhoden and the state’s congressional delegation, focusing on strengthening infrastructure and cybersecurity.
Governor Rhoden praised the proposals, emphasizing that infrastructure investment is key to keeping South Dakota “strong, safe, and free.”
GRIT urged one-time funding for:
- Upgrading IT systems to prevent outages like the one in August.
- Cloud-based backup for the state radio system, vital to public safety.
- A nuclear energy study to support a diversified energy strategy.
GRIT backed a letter supporting renewal of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, calling it essential for national resilience. Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen, GRIT Chair, stressed bipartisan cooperation in defending digital infrastructure.
The task force also endorsed a bill to expand Dakota State University’s SecureSD initiative to include nonprofit utilities like rural water systems.
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