Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act

reportedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

6 July 2016

Last action

16 November 2016 · Committee

Status

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

Summary

Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act This bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms the water rights compact between the Blackfeet Tribe and Montana dated April 15, 2009, as modified to be consistent with this bill. The tribe and the Fort Belknap Indian Community must agree on their Milk River water rights. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) must: (1) enter into at least one water delivery contract with the Blackfeet Tribe for water from the St. Mary River water right, (2) review the final project design of the Swiftcurrent Creek Bank Stabilization Project and work with the tribe to carry out the project, and (3) carry out specified maintenance projects. The tribe must grant the United States certain easements and rights-of-way. The USBR is granted exclusive jurisdiction to authorize the development of St. Mary Unit hydroelectric power. The tribe is granted the exclusive right to develop and market such power. Interior must allocate water stored in Lake Elwell for the tribe. Ownership of Birch Creek water delivery facilities is transferred to the tribe. The tribe must establish a tribal water code, subject to Interior approval. The water rights of the tribe within the Lewis and Clark National Forest and Glacier National Park are confirmed. The tribe and the United States must waive certain claims to water rights. The tribe must: (1) waive claims against the United States regarding specified land and facilities, and (2) withdraw objections to U.S. water rights claims for the benefit of the Milk River Project. The provisions of this bill expire and related actions and agreements are void if Interior does not publish specified findings or appropriations are not made.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

6 July 2016
Introduced
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Source: IntroReferral
6 July 2016
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
6 July 2016
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
11 July 2016
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
Source: Committee
15 November 2016
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
16 November 2016
Reported
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
Source: Committee
16 November 2016
Committee
Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans Discharged.
Source: Committee
16 November 2016
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Introduced in House · 6 July 2016 · Download file

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 6 July 2016
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Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 6 July 2016
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 6 July 2016
Open at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Vertaal naar
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Related records

related to → Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act of 2015
related to → Water Resources Development Act of 2016
related to → WIIN Act

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/5633
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/114/hr/5633
us · 114-hr-5633 · source updated 12 August 2025