Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025

The Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025 aims to improve the implementation of the original 2010 Act by updating its financial and operational provisions. It redefines terms related to Municipal, Rural, and Industrial (MR&I) projects and repeals an outdated section concerning the MR&I System, streamlining the framework for water resource management. A significant change involves the Crow Settlement Fund, which will now include a new MR&I Projects Account . This account is specifically designated for planning, designing, constructing, and maintaining water production, treatment, and delivery infrastructure for domestic, municipal, or wastewater uses, as well as ensuring environmental compliance. After these on-Reservation projects are complete, remaining funds may be used to purchase land with water rights. The bill explicitly states that the Federal Government will not be responsible for the operation, maintenance, or replacement costs of these MR&I Projects, with title and control remaining with the Tribe. Furthermore, the bill establishes a new Crow CIP Implementation Account , a non-trust, interest-bearing account managed by the Secretary, to carry out specific comprehensive implementation plan activities. It also renumbers several sections of the original Act and extends certain provisions related to Yellowtail Dam from 15 to 20 years. The legislation details how existing joint signature accounts will transfer funds into these newly established accounts and includes provisions for indexing adjustments to account for fluctuations in construction costs for the MR&I Projects Account.