A Washington-based taxpayer watchdog group says the Dakotas rank high when it comes to pork-barrel spending.

But South Dakota's two U.S. senators defend the money South Dakota receives through earmarks as crucial to the state's infrastructure and other essential needs.

North Dakota ranked third and South Dakota ranked seventh in Citizens Against Government Waste's annual rankings of federal money directed to the 50 states.

Though the group criticized those states that received the most by saying it is a waste of taxpayer money, Dakotas members have typically made few apologies for federal projects. North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan and South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson, both Democrats, sit on the Senate committee that doles out federal spending.

According to the group, North Dakota raked in almost $133 million, or $208 per person, in the last budget year. South Dakota received $89 million, or $112 per person.

Thune said Citizens Against Government Waste failed to make distinctions between wasteful earmarks and those that provide fundamental services in states such as South Dakota.

"There is a big distinction between the money South Dakota receives to maintain our highways, rural water projects and other infrastructure and the truly wasteful projects that make their way into law every year," Thune said. "I wouldn't expect a Washington-based group to have a complete understanding of South Dakota's real infrastructure needs."

In a news release, Johnson responded to the report, saying it misrepresented his support of such projects through earmarks as farm subsidies and the Perkins and Lewis and Clark water projects.

"Earmarks have helped fund projects like the lab in Lead, economic development projects in Watertown, the medical school at USD and transportation projects in every corner of the state," Johnson said in the release.

"Of course, I'm against government waste, and where there is waste in government, we should eliminate it. But to lump projects like these in with wasteful ones is simply wrong and dishonest," Johnson said.

Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., agreed with her South Dakota counterparts in the Senate that earmarks pay for essentials, not waste, in the state.

"I seriously question the credibility of a report that calls safe drinking water, necessary transportation infrastructure or scientific research projects that benefit the entire country 'pork'" she said. "I'm proud to support responsible funding for South Dakota priorities."