,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #eac  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #aa1 #bjac   
,mr4 ,inhofe introduced the following   
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,indian ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to clarify the role of the  
,cherokee ,nation of ,oklahoma regarding
 the maintenance of the ,w4,d4 ,mayo    
,lock and ,dam in the ,state of         
,oklahoma4  #a4 ,rights and             
responsibilities of ,cherokee ,nation of
 ,oklahoma regarding ,w4,d4 ,mayo ,lock 
and ,dam1 ,oklahoma ,section #aaag of   
the ,water ,resources ,development ,act 
of #aihf 7,public ,law #ii-ffb2 #ajj    
,stat4 #dbcf7 is amended to read as     
follows3  #aaag4 ,w4,d4 ,mayo ,lock and 
,dam1 ,oklahoma  7a7 ,in general        
,notwithstanding any other provision of 
law1 the ,cherokee ,nation of ,oklahoma 
may--  7#a7 design and construct #a or  
more hydroelectric generating facilities
 at the ,w4,d4 ,mayo ,lock and ,dam on  
the ,arkansas ,river in the ,state of   

,oklahoma1 subject to the requirements  
of subsection 7b7 and in accordance with
 the conditions specified in this       
section2 and  7#b7 market the           
electricity generated from any such     
hydroelectric generating facility4  7b7 
,preconstruction requirements  7#a7 ,in 
general ,the ,cherokee ,nation shall    
obtain any permit required by ,federal  
or ,state law before the date on which  
construction begins on any hydroelectric
 generating facility under subsection   
7a71 except that the ,cherokee ,nation  
shall be exempt from any licensing      
requirements under the ,federal ,power  
,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #gia;a et seq47 that
 may otherwise be required for the      
construction1 operation1 or maintenance 
of a hydroelectric generating facility4 
7#b7 ,review by ,secretary ,the         
,cherokee ,nation may initiate the      
design or construction of a             
hydroelectric generating facility under 
subsection 7a7 only after the ,secretary
 reviews and approves the plans and     

specifications for the design and       
construction4  7c7 ,payment of design   
and construction costs  7#a7 ,in general
 ,the ,cherokee ,nation shall--  7,a7   
bear all costs associated with the      
design and construction of any          
hydroelectric generating facility under 
subsection 7a72 and  7,b7 provide any   
funds necessary for the design and      
construction to the ,secretary prior to 
the ,secretary initiating any activities
 relating to the design and construction
 of the hydroelectric generating        
facility4  7#b7 ,use by ,secretary ,the 
,secretary may--  7,a7 accept funds     
offered by the ,cherokee ,nation under  
paragraph 7#a72 and  7,b7 use the funds 
to carry out the design and construction
 of any hydroelectric generating        
facility under subsection 7a74  7d7     
,assumption of liability ,the ,cherokee 
,nation--  7#a7 shall hold all title to 
any hydroelectric generating facility   
constructed under this section2  7#b7   
may1 subject to the approval of the     

,secretary1 assign that title to a third
 party2  7#c7 shall be solely           
responsible for--  7,a7 the operation1  
maintenance1 repair1 replacement1 and   
rehabilitation of any such facility2 and
  7,b7 the marketing of the electricity 
generated by any such facility2 and     
7#d7 shall release and indemnify the    
,united ,states from any claims1 causes 
of action1 or liabilities that may arise
 out of any activity undertaken to carry
 out this section4  7e7 ,assistance     
available ,notwithstanding any other    
provision of law1 the ,secretary may    
provide any technical and construction  
management assistance requested by the  
,cherokee ,nation relating to the design
 and construction of any hydroelectric  
generating facility under subsection    
7a74  7f7 ,third-,party agreements ,the 
,cherokee ,nation may enter into        
agreements with the ,secretary or a     
third party that the ,cherokee ,nation  
or the ,secretary determines to be      
necessary to carry out this section4  4