CONGRESSMAN DOWNING'S BILL CROW TRIBE WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT AMENDMENTS ACT SIGNED INTO LAW

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last night, President Trump signed the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025 into law. Senator Steve Daines spearheaded the bill in the Senate, while Congressman Troy Downing championed it in the House of Representatives. The legislation updates the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to provide the Crow Tribe with greater flexibility to develop water infrastructure and keep long-overdue projects on the reservation moving forward.

The original settlement ratified the water rights compact between the Crow Tribe and the State of Montana. It authorized the Bureau of Reclamation to rehabilitate the Crow Irrigation Project (CIP) and construct a Municipal, Rural, and Industrial (MR&I) water system.

S. 240 modernizes that framework by converting the MR&I component from a single centralized project into a more flexible, localized approach. Instead of one large system, the legislation allows the Tribe to develop smaller water and wastewater projects tailored to the needs of individual communities across the reservation.

In addition, the legislation extends the Crow Tribe's exclusive right to develop a hydropower project at the Yellowtail Afterbay Dam for five years, through 2030, helping support future energy development on the reservation.

"This bill delivers on a long-standing commitment to the Crow Tribe by giving the Tribe more flexibility to move critical water projects forward. It supports needed water infrastructure and preserves the Tribe's right to pursue hydropower development at Yellowtail Afterbay Dam. I'm proud to see it signed into law by President Trump," said Downing.

"This bill is a necessity for the Crow Tribe and surrounding communities and will ensure the tribe has the resources they need to deliver safe, reliable access to clean water to the reservation and complete a hydropower project to bring new baseload generation to the region. I'm grateful for everyone who pushed this legislation through, and I look forward to seeing the impacts this will have on water safety and the Crow Tribe community," said Daines.

"The federal government must ensure tribal water settlements work as intended. S. 240 gives the Crow Tribe greater flexibility to complete critical drinking water and irrigation projects while extending its exclusive right to pursue hydropower development at Yellowtail Afterbay Dam. I commend Senator Daines and Rep. Downing for championing a practical solution that strengthens tribal self-determination and supports long-term economic growth on the Crow Reservation," said House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman.

"Today's legislation unties the Tribe's hands and allows us to use previously appropriated funds to construct a more efficient system of regional water treatment and improved wells," said Chairman Frank Whiteclay, Crow Tribe of Indians

Read the full bill HERE.

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