Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Tweaked: New Funding Rules and Extended Timelines in 2025 Amendments

The Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025 makes significant changes to how water project funds are managed and used, specifically for the Crow Tribe. It's essentially a fine-tuning of the original 2010 Settlement Act, aiming to provide more clarity and flexibility. The core purpose is to streamline water infrastructure development and resolve some lingering issues, while also giving the Tribe more control over projects.

Digging into the Details

The bill establishes two new accounts within the existing Crow Settlement Fund. First, the "MRI Projects Account" is specifically for water infrastructure like construction, repairs, and ensuring projects meet environmental standards. Think of it as a dedicated pot of money for building and maintaining essential water systems on the reservation. A key detail: once the main on-Reservation projects are finished, any leftover funds can be used to buy land with water rights, but only on the Reservation (Section 2). The second new account, the "Crow CIP Implementation Account," is a non-trust, interest-bearing account managed by the Secretary of the Interior, and is meant to fund activities described in section 405 of the original act.

For example, if a water pipeline needs replacing due to age or damage, the MRI Projects Account could be tapped. Crucially, the bill states the Tribe holds the title to and controls any project built with these funds, and the federal government isn't on the hook for ongoing maintenance or replacement costs (Section 2). This represents a shift in responsibility.

Yellowtail Dam Extension and Cost Adjustments

The bill also extends certain provisions related to the Yellowtail Dam, a key water resource in Montana, from 15 to 20 years (Section 2). This extension likely impacts water allocation and management agreements connected to the dam. Additionally, the bill allows for "indexing adjustments" to the MRI Projects Account. This means the amount of money in the account can be adjusted to reflect changes in construction costs since 2008, using the Bureau of Reclamation Construction Cost Index (Section 2). This is like adjusting for inflation, ensuring the funds have the same buying power as originally intended.

Real-World Implications and Potential Issues

While the bill focuses on technical adjustments, there are real-world implications. The Crow Tribe gains more direct control over water projects and funding. The potential for land acquisition, while restricted to on-Reservation land with water rights, is a noteworthy addition. The indexing adjustments could be a double-edged sword. They protect against inflation, but there is also a potential for manipulation to inflate costs. It will be important to carefully monitor how the Bureau of Reclamation Construction Cost Index is applied. The bill also clarifies that the federal government is not responsible for ongoing maintenance costs of projects built with these funds, placing that burden squarely on the Tribe.

Finally, the bill cleans up some language from the 2010 Act, replacing "System" with "Projects" in several places and repealing Section 406, which dealt with the MRI System. It also corrects some cross-references between sections to make the whole thing more consistent.