S. 375 would authorize the Crow Tribe of Indians water rights settlement.
Detailed Summary
Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2009 - Ratifies the water rights compact between the Crow Tribe and the state of Montana. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to promptly execute the compact and comply with applicable environmental statutes.
Requires the Secretary, through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to carry out activities necessary to: (1) rehabilitate and improve the water diversion and delivery features of the Crow Irrigation Project in accordance with an agreement to be negotiated with the Tribe; and (2) design and construct such features of the reservation's municipal, rural, and industrial water system.
Ratifies tribal water rights, which shall be held in trust for the use and benefit of the Tribe. Grants the Tribe sole authority to allocate, distribute, and lease such rights, subject to specified limitations. Applies specified provisions of the Act of February 8, 1887, relating to using water for irrigation, to the tribal water rights.
Directs the Secretary to allocate to the Tribe 300,000 acre-feet per year of water stored in Bighorn Lake, under a water right held by the United States, as measured at the Yellowtail Dam outlet works.
Requires the Tribe, as a condition of receiving an allocation, to enter into an agreement with the Secretary to establish the terms and conditions. Declares that the benefits provided satisfy all claims of the Tribe and allottees.
Establishes in the Treasury the Crow Settlement Fund. Grants the Tribe the exclusive right to develop and market power generation as a water development project on the Yellowtail Afterbay Dam.
Repeals this Act on January 1, 2015, if the Secretary does not publish by March 31, 2015, a statement of findings that specified conditions have been fulfilled (including court approval and ratification of the compact).
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 1/21/2010: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 259.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
annie swank
April 2, 2009, 8:12pm (report abuse)I vote against the crow tribe water right settlement act I don't feel it's right what are chairman and vice did as well as the secretary vice it is wrong to leave out the crow tribe then to let are officails in the office make choices for us now days it's all bout the money we are loosen are land the goverment and white americans are buy'n us out it is wrong with out our water rights we are nothing we consume too lose every thing as we are now in this point some of do not want to unite but have soverinty as a tribe and as the treetee goes the goverment made the goverment takes back changes or steal's from us just like the bia we as a crow tribe some of us know whats right I want my kids and grand kids to have that oppertunity like I have for short while but myself vote no for the crow water rights and I'em soverinty and chose to be. thanx you sincerly; annie suzie swank/indian_butter_49@yahoo.com/myspace.com
annie suzie swank
April 2, 2009, 8:14pm (report abuse)lif on the rez soverinty a tribe a life will we parish or should we dominate