Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025

It gives the Crow Tribe clearer control over settlement funds and infrastructure while limiting federal responsibility for long-term project costs.

What the law does ​

• Replaces the prior municipal, rural, and industrial water system framework with funding for individual tribal projects.
• Creates an MR&I Projects Account and transfers specified settlement funds into an existing joint-signature account.
• Prioritizes planning, permitting, construction, rehabilitation, operation, and repair of water and wastewater infrastructure, along with environmental compliance.
• Allows remaining funds to buy on-reservation land with water rights after eligible infrastructure projects are completed and the Secretary is notified.
• Gives the Crow Tribe ownership, control, and operating responsibility for funded infrastructure, with no federal funding for operation, maintenance, or replacement.
• Extends the applicable Yellowtail Dam period from 15 years to 20 years and makes related technical updates.

Who it affects ​

• The Crow Tribe and people using water and wastewater systems on its reservation.
• Federal officials administering the settlement funds and Yellowtail Dam-related provisions.

Breakdown ​

Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025 ​

This title updates the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act by replacing the prior municipal, rural, and industrial water system framework with a tribal project-based funding structure. It creates a dedicated account for water and wastewater infrastructure, establishes how the Crow Tribe may use the money, and clarifies ownership and federal responsibilities. It also extends a Yellowtail Dam-related period from 15 to 20 years.

Key takeaways

• The prior statutory framework for the municipal, rural, and industrial water system is repealed and replaced with provisions covering individual projects.
• A dedicated MR&I Projects Account will receive specified settlement funds and transfer them into an existing joint-signature account.
• The Crow Tribe must give priority to planning, permitting, building, rehabilitating, operating, and repairing water and wastewater infrastructure and complying with applicable environmental laws.
• After completing the eligible on-reservation infrastructure projects and notifying the Secretary in writing, the Tribe may use remaining funds to buy on-reservation land with water rights.
• The Crow Tribe will retain title to, control over, and operation of infrastructure built with account funds, while the federal government will not pay for its operation, maintenance, or replacement.
• The title extends the applicable Yellowtail Dam period from 15 years to 20 years and makes related technical updates.