This Act amends the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to update water infrastructure funding, establish new project accounts, and extend implementation timelines for the Crow Tribe.
Troy Downing
Representative
MT-2
The Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025 updates the 2010 settlement to improve the management and oversight of water infrastructure funding for the Crow Tribe. The bill establishes new dedicated accounts for water projects and implementation activities, streamlines fund withdrawals, and extends the timeline for key provisions related to the Yellowtail Dam. These amendments ensure the Tribe has the necessary resources and flexibility to develop and maintain essential water infrastructure.
Crow Tribe Water Deal Update: New Accounts and 20-Year Timeline for Reservation Infrastructure
This bill overhauls the financial plumbing of the 2010 Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement, swapping out the old 'MRI System' for a more flexible 'MRI Projects' framework. It establishes two major dedicated accounts—the MRI Projects Account and the Crow CIP Implementation Account—to manage funds for domestic water, wastewater, and municipal infrastructure. A key shift here is that the federal government is handing over the keys; once these projects are built, the Tribe owns the infrastructure and takes on the full responsibility for operating and maintaining it without further federal help.
Modernizing the Money Trail
The bill moves money from old joint signature accounts into new, interest-bearing accounts managed by the Secretary of the Interior. For anyone who has ever tried to navigate a complex bank merger, this is the legislative equivalent—it’s about consolidating funds so they can actually be spent on the ground. To ensure the money doesn't lose its punch due to inflation, the bill requires all deposits to be adjusted based on the Bureau of Reclamation Construction Cost Index. This means if the price of concrete and steel has spiked since 2008, the funding levels are supposed to rise to meet those real-world costs, ensuring that a project planned a decade ago doesn't get stalled by today's prices.
Infrastructure First, Land Later
The priority list for this funding is strictly 'pipes before property.' The Tribe must first use the MRI Projects Account for on-reservation water infrastructure, covering everything from initial planning to environmental compliance. Think of this as ensuring every home and business on the reservation has reliable taps and toilets first. However, there’s a built-in reward for efficiency: once the Tribe certifies to the Secretary that all necessary water projects are finished, they can use any leftover cash to buy back land on the reservation that comes with water rights. It’s a provision that encourages getting the job done so the Tribe can expand its land base.
Long-Term Planning at Yellowtail Dam
Recognizing that massive water projects don't happen overnight, the bill extends a key provision regarding the Yellowtail Dam from 15 years to 20 years. This five-year extension gives the Tribe and federal planners more breathing room to execute complex water storage and delivery strategies without hitting a bureaucratic deadline. While the bill clears up a lot of the 'how' regarding the money, the medium level of vagueness in how 'project completion' is verified means the hand-off from building pipes to buying land will require clear communication between tribal leaders and federal oversight to avoid future red tape.