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HR 8745

Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authorization Act

119th Congress Introduced by Troy Downing

Authorizes federal planning, design, and construction support (up to $602 million) for the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority to provide a regional water system for parts of Mon

Introduced in House
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Bill Summary · HR 8745

Summary of HR 8745 — Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authorization Act

Purpose

  • Authorizes the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System in Montana to plan, design, and construct a regional water supply to ensure a safe and adequate municipal, rural, and industrial water supply for residents and users in targeted Montana counties and in McKenzie County, North Dakota.
  • Builds on a feasibility study (October 2025) and aims to deliver a cooperative federal–nonfederal framework for rural water development.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • Authorization and Federal Role

    • The Secretary of the Interior may carry out the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System in substantially accordance with the Bureau of Reclamation feasibility study.
    • The Secretary must enter into a cooperative agreement with the Dry-Redwater Authority to provide federal assistance for planning, design, and construction.

  • Authority and System Scope

    • Defines the Authority as the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority (or its nonprofit successor) and the Water System’s project service area, which includes:
    • Garfield and McCone Counties (Montana)
    • Areas west of the Yellowstone River in Dawson and Richland Counties (Montana)
    • Part of Prairie County (Montana)
    • The portion of McKenzie County, North Dakota west of the Yellowstone River

  • Cost Sharing and Federal Funds

    • Federal share for planning, design, and construction shall not exceed 75% of total costs, or a lesser amount as determined by the Secretary via feasibility report.
    • Federal funds are not returnable or reimbursable under reclamation laws.
    • Eligible uses for federal funds include:
    • Water pumping, treatment, storage facilities
    • Transmission pipelines, pumping stations, appurtenances, access roads
    • Interconnection facilities to connect to public water systems
    • Power transmission/distribution facilities necessary for operation
    • Other facilities/services required for rural water development and for acquiring necessary property rights
    • Additional uses may cover water intake and facilities that serve public water system customers, exist as of enactment, and can be purchased/improved/repaired under a cooperative agreement.
    • Federal funds may not be used for ongoing operation, maintenance, or replacement of the Water System.
    • Title to the Water System remains with the Authority.

  • Power Use and Transmission (Pick-Sloan)

    • Finds that McCone and Garfield Counties were designated as Fort Peck Dam impact counties and eligible for Pick-Sloan mitigation benefits.
    • The Administrator (of the Western Area Power Administration) shall make available power needed to operate the Water System, under conditions:
    • The Water System must operate on a not-for-profit basis and follow the cooperative agreement.
    • Power is delivered at a firm rate; the Water System covers power charges and non-federal delivery costs.
    • The Water System is responsible for all non-federal transmission and distribution arrangements and for funding necessary upgrades to deliver power.

  • Water Rights and State Law

    • The Act does not preempt or modify state water law or state authorities’ management of water resources.

  • Funding Authorization and Adjustments

    • Authorized funding of up to $602,000,000 for planning, design, and construction for fiscal years 2027–2037.
    • Funding amounts may be adjusted for cost-index fluctuations (post-January 1, 2024 indices) and for unforeseen construction cost volatility, as determined by the Secretary.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Residents and water users in the specified Montana counties and in the portion of McKenzie County, ND, who would benefit from improved water supply infrastructure.
  • The Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority (and any successor nonprofit entity) as the project owner.
  • Federal agencies involved in water resources and power transmission, notably the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, and Western Area Power Administration.
  • Public water systems that could interconnect with the Water System and communities served by the Pick-Sloan power program.

Timelines and Process

  • The project would proceed under a cooperative agreement with the Authority following this Act, guided by the October 2025 feasibility study (approved under the 2021 Rural Water Act).
  • Funding authorization spans 2027–2037, with potential adjustments for cost changes and market volatility as allowed by the bill.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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