,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bbhf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bd1 #bjba,mr4 ,tester introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the ,secretary of the ,interior to use designated funding to pay for construction of authorized rural water projects1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,western ,water1 ,jobs1 and ,infrastructure ,act4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4,,title ,i--,reclamation ,rural ,water ,project ,construction ,fund,sec4 #aja4 ,definitions4,sec4 #ajb4 ,establishment4,sec4 #ajc4 ,deposits to ,fund4,sec4 #ajd4 ,expenditures from ,fund4,sec4 #aje4 ,investments of amounts4,,title ,,ii--,indian ,water ,rights ,settlement ,completion ,fund,sec4 #bja4 ,indian ,water ,rights ,settlement ,completion ,fund4,,title ,,iii--,milk ,river ,project,sec4 #cja4 ,definitions4,sec4 #cjb4 ,milk ,river ,project rehabilitation projects4 ,i ,reclamation ,rural ,water ,project ,construction ,fund #aja4 ,definitions ,in this title3 7#a7 ,authorized rural water project ,the term authorized rural water project means a project-- 7,a7 that is designed to provide domestic1 industrial1 municipal1 or residential water to a small community or group of small communities1 including ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations2 and 7,b7 7i7 that is authorized to be carried out by the ,secretary on or before the date of enactment of this ,act2 or 7ii7 for which an ,act of ,congress after the date of enactment of this ,act has authorized the construction of the project4 7#b7 ,fund ,the term ,fund means the ,reclamation ,rural ,water ,project ,construction ,fund established by section #ajb4 7#c7 ,indian ,tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7#d7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior1 acting through the ,commissioner of ,reclamation4 #ajb4 ,establishment ,there is established in the ,treasury of the ,united ,states a fund1 to be known as the ,reclamation ,rural ,water ,project ,construction ,fund1 consisting of-- 7#a7 such amounts as are deposited in the ,fund under section #ajc2 and 7#b7 any interest earned on investment of amounts in the ,fund under section #aje4 #ajc4 ,deposits to ,fund 7a7 ,in general ,there is appropriated to the ,fund1 out of money in the ,treasury not otherwise appropriated1 #bjj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbf1 to remain available until ,september #cj1 #bjcf4 7b7 ,availability of amounts ,amounts deposited in the ,fund under subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 be made available in accordance with this title1 without further appropriation2 and 7#b7 supplements1 and not supplant1 amounts appropriated for authorized rural water projects under any other provision of law4 #ajd4 ,expenditures from ,fund 7a7 ,in general ,subject to subsection 7b71 for each of fiscal years #bjbb through #bjbf1 the ,secretary may use not less than #bjj1jjj1jjj of amounts available in the ,fund to complete construction of authorized rural water projects4 7b7 ,restrictions 7#a7 ,no operation and maintenance costs ,the ,secretary shall not use any amounts from the ,fund to pay for operation and maintenance costs of an authorized rural water project authorized under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,conditions ,the ,secretary shall not expend any amounts from the ,fund to carry out this section until the date on which the ,secretary develops-- 7,a7 programmatic goals to carry out this section that-- 7i7 would enable the completion of construction of the authorized rural water projects as expeditiously as practicable2 and 7ii7 reflect-- 7,i7 the goals and priorities identified in the laws authorizing the authorized rural water projects2 and 7,,ii7 the goals of the ,reclamation ,rural ,water ,supply ,act of #bjjf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #bdja et seq472 and 7,b7 funding prioritization criteria to serve as a methodology for distributing funds under this section that take into account-- 7i7 an evaluation of the urgent and compelling need for potable water supplies in the affected rural and ,tribal communities2 7ii7 the status of the current stages of completion of the authorized rural water project2 7iii7 the financial needs of the affected rural and ,tribal communities2 7iv7 the potential economic benefits of the expenditures on job creation and general economic development in the affected rural and ,tribal communities2 7v7 the ability of the authorized rural water project to address regional- and watershed-level water supply needs2 7vi7 the ability of the authorized rural water project-- 7,i7 to minimize water and energy consumption2 and 7,,ii7 to encourage the development of renewable energy resources1 such as wind1 solar1 and hydropower elements2 7vii7 the need for the authorized rural water project to address-- 7,i7 the needs of ,indian ,tribes and members of ,indian ,tribes2 and 7,,ii7 other community needs or interests2 and 7viii7 such other factors as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate to prioritize the use of available funds4 #aje4 ,investments of amounts 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall invest such portion of the ,fund as is not1 in the judgment of the ,secretary1 required to meet current withdrawals4 7b7 ,credits to ,fund ,the interest on1 and the proceeds from the sale or redemption of1 any obligations held in the ,fund shall be credited to1 and form a part of1 the ,fund4 ,,ii ,indian ,water ,rights ,settlement ,completion ,fund #bja4 ,indian ,water ,rights ,settlement ,completion ,fund 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established in the ,treasury of the ,united ,states a fund to be known as the ,indian ,water ,rights ,settlement ,completion ,fund 7referred to in this section as the ,fund74 7b7 ,deposits 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,fund shall consist of such amounts as are appropriated to the ,fund under paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,mandatory funding ,on ,october #a1 #bjba1 and on each ,october #a thereafter through ,october #a1 #bjbe1 out of any funds in the ,treasury not otherwise appropriated1 the ,secretary of the ,treasury shall deposit in the ,fund #djj1jjj1jjj1 to remain available until ,september #cj1 #bjcf4 7c7 ,uses ,amounts deposited in the ,fund under subsection 7b7 shall be used by the ,secretary of the ,interior to implement any ,indian water rights settlement agreement approved by ,congress1 including any ,indian water rights settlement agreement approved by ,congress after the date of enactment of this ,act1 that resolves1 in whole or in part1 litigation involving the ,united ,states1 if the settlement agreement or implementing legislation requires the ,bureau of ,reclamation or the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs to provide financial assistance for1 or plan1 design1 and construct-- 7#a7 water supply infrastructure2 or 7#b7 a project-- 7,a7 to rehabilitate a water delivery system to conserve water2 or 7,b7 to restore fish and wildlife habitat or otherwise improve environmental conditions associated with or affected by1 or located within the same river basin as1 a ,federal reclamation project that is in existence on the date of enactment of this ,act4 ,,iii ,milk ,river ,project #cja4 ,definitions ,in this title3 7#a7 ,milk river project 7,a7 ,in general ,the term ,milk ,river ,project means the ,bureau of ,reclamation project conditionally approved by the ,secretary on ,march #ad1 #aijc1 pursuant to the ,act of ,june #ag1 #aijb 7#cb ,stat4 #chh1 chapter #ajic71 commencing at ,lake ,sherburne ,reservoir and providing water to a point approximately #f miles east of ,nashua1 ,montana4 7,b7 ,inclusions ,the term ,milk ,river ,project includes the ,st4 ,mary ,unit4 7#b7 ,st4 mary unit 7,a7 ,in general ,the term ,st4 ,mary ,unit means the ,st4 ,mary ,storage ,unit of the ,milk ,river ,project authorized by ,congress on ,march #be1 #aije4 7,b7 ,inclusions ,the term ,st4 ,mary ,unit includes-- 7i7 ,sherburne ,dam and ,reservoir2 7ii7 ,swift ,current ,creek ,dike2 7iii7 ,lower ,st4 ,mary ,lake2 7iv7 ,st4 ,mary ,canal ,diversion ,dam2 and 7v7 ,st4 ,mary ,canal and appurtenances4 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior1 acting through the ,commissioner of ,reclamation4 #cjb4 ,milk ,river ,project rehabilitation projects 7a7 ,authorization of rehabilitation projects ,the ,secretary shall use amounts made available under subsection 7d7 to carry out projects to rehabilitate the ,milk ,river ,project1 including projects-- 7#a7 to rehabilitate or replace aging or damaged infrastructure2 7#b7 to improve the efficiency of the ,milk ,river ,project2 7#c7 to protect fish and wildlife2 and 7#d7 to protect municipal1 agricultural1 and ,tribal water supplies4 7b7 ,federal share ,notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to subsection 7c71 the ,federal share of the cost of a project carried out under subsection 7a7 shall be #ajj percent4 7c7 ,voluntarily contributions ,notwithstanding subsection 7b71 a non-,federal partner may voluntarily contribute to the costs of a project carried out under this section4 7d7 ,funding ,in addition to amounts otherwise made available1 there is appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this section1 out of any amounts in the ,treasury not otherwise appropriated1 #bjj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbb1 to remain available until expended4