HR-8791 : Still Just a Bill

The "Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024" (H.R. 8791) aims to resolve water rights claims for the Fort Belknap Indian Community in Montana. Key provisions include:

• Water Rights Settlement: Achieves a final settlement of water rights claims in Montana for the Fort Belknap Indian Community and the United States as trustee.
• Compact Ratification: Authorizes, ratifies, and confirms the water rights compact between the Fort Belknap Indian Community and the State of Montana.
• Secretary's Role: Directs the Secretary of the Interior to execute the Compact and take necessary actions for its implementation.
• Funding Authorization: Authorizes funds for the implementation of the Compact and the Act.
• Land Exchange: Authorizes the exchange and transfer of certain Federal and State lands.
• Tribal Water Rights: Ratifies and confirms the Tribal water rights, subject to the terms of the Compact and the Act.
• Allottee Benefits: Intends to provide allottees (individuals holding beneficial real property interests in allotments of Indian land within the Reservation) benefits equivalent to or exceeding their existing benefits.
• Trust Fund: Establishes a trust fund (Aaniiih Nakoda Settlement Trust Fund) for the Fort Belknap Indian Community to be managed by the Secretary of the Interior.
• Lake Elwell Allocation: Allocates 20,000 acre-feet of water per year from Lake Elwell to the Fort Belknap Indian Community.
• Milk River Project Mitigation: Mandates activities to restore the St. Mary Canal and enlarge the Dodson South Canal.
• Irrigation Project: Requires the Secretary to rehabilitate, modernize, and expand the Fort Belknap Indian Irrigation Project.
• Waivers and Releases: Requires the Fort Belknap Indian Community and the United States to waive and release certain claims related to water rights.

In essence, H.R. 8791 seeks to provide a fair and equitable resolution to water rights disputes, ensure the Fort Belknap Indian Community has access to water resources, and support infrastructure development.