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U.S. Code > Title 43 Public Lands > CHAPTER 12—RECLAMATION AND IRRIGATION OF LANDS BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (§§ 371—616tttt_to_616yyyy) > SUBCHAPTER II-A—RECLAMATION WATER SETTLEMENTS FUND (§ 407) > § 407. Reclamation Water Settlements Fund

U.S. Code

§ 407. Reclamation Water Settlements Fund

(a) Establishment
There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund, to be known as the “Reclamation Water Settlements Fund”, consisting of—
(1) such amounts as are deposited to the Fund under subsection (b); and
(2) any interest earned on investment of amounts in the Fund under subsection (d).
(b) Deposits to Fund
(1) In general
For each of fiscal years 2020 through 2029, the Secretary of the Treasury shall deposit in the Fund, if available, $120,000,000 of the revenues that would otherwise be deposited for the fiscal year in the fund established by section 391 of this title.
(2) Availability of amounts
Amounts deposited in the Fund under paragraph (1) shall be made available pursuant to this section—
(A) without further appropriation; and
(B) in addition to amounts appropriated pursuant to any authorization contained in any other provision of law.
(c) Expenditures from Fund
(1) In general
(A) Expenditures
Subject to subparagraph (B), for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2034, the Secretary may expend from the Fund an amount not to exceed $120,000,000, plus the interest accrued in the Fund, for the fiscal year in which expenditures are made pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3).
(B) Additional expenditures
The Secretary may expend more than $120,000,000 for any fiscal year if such amounts are available in the Fund due to expenditures not reaching $120,000,000 for prior fiscal years.
(2) Authority
The Secretary may expend money from the Fund to implement a settlement agreement approved by Congress that resolves, in whole or in part, litigation involving the United States, if the settlement agreement or implementing legislation requires the Bureau of Reclamation to provide financial assistance for, or plan, design, and construct—
(A) water supply infrastructure; or
(B) a project—
(i) to rehabilitate a water delivery system to conserve water; or
(ii) to restore fish and wildlife habitat or otherwise improve environmental conditions associated with or affected by, or located within the same river basin as, a Federal reclamation project that is in existence on March 30, 2009.
(3) Use for completion of project and other settlements
(A) Priorities
(i) First priority
(I) In general The first priority for expenditure of amounts in the Fund during the entire period in which the Fund is in existence shall be for the purposes described in, and in the order of, clauses (i) through (iv) of subparagraph (B).
(II) Reserved amounts The Secretary shall reserve and use amounts deposited into the Fund in accordance with subclause (I).
(ii) Other purposes Any amounts in the Fund that are not needed for the purposes described in subparagraph (B) may be used for other purposes authorized in paragraph (2).
(B) Completion of project
(i) Navajo-Gallup water supply project
(I) In general Subject to subclause (II), effective beginning January 1, 2020, if, in the judgment of the Secretary on an annual basis the deadline described in section 10701 (e)(1)(A)(ix) [1] is unlikely to be met because a sufficient amount of funding is not otherwise available through appropriations made available pursuant to section 10609 (a),[1] the Secretary shall expend from the Fund such amounts on an annual basis consistent with paragraphs (1) and (2), as are necessary to pay the Federal share of the costs, and substantially complete as expeditiously as practicable, the construction of the water supply infrastructure authorized as part of the Project.
(II) Maximum amount
(aa) In general Except as provided under item (bb), the amount expended under subclause (I) shall not exceed $500,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2020 through 2029.
(bb) Exception The limitation on the expenditure amount under item (aa) may be exceeded during the entire period in which the Fund is in existence if such additional funds can be expended without limiting the amounts identified in clauses (ii) through (iv).
(ii) Other New Mexico settlements
(I) In general Subject to subclause (II), effective beginning January 1, 2020, in addition to the funding made available under clause (i), if in the judgment of the Secretary on an annual basis a sufficient amount of funding is not otherwise available through annual appropriations, the Secretary shall expend from the Fund such amounts on an annual basis consistent with paragraphs (1) and (2), as are necessary to pay the Federal share of the remaining costs of implementing the Indian water rights settlement agreements entered into by the State of New Mexico in the Aamodt adjudication and the Abeyta adjudication, if such settlements are subsequently approved and authorized by an Act of Congress and the implementation period has not already expired.
(II) Maximum amount The amount expended under subclause (I) shall not exceed $250,000,000.
(iii) Montana settlements
(I) In general Subject to subclause (II), effective beginning January 1, 2020, in addition to funding made available pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii), if in the judgment of the Secretary on an annual basis a sufficient amount of funding is not otherwise available through annual appropriations, the Secretary shall expend from the Fund such amounts on an annual basis consistent with paragraphs (1) and (2), as are necessary to pay the Federal share of the remaining costs of implementing Indian water rights settlement agreements entered into by the State of Montana with the Blackfeet Tribe, the Crow Tribe, or the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in the judicial proceeding entitled “In re the General Adjudication of All the Rights to Use Surface and Groundwater in the State of Montana”, if a settlement or settlements are subsequently approved and authorized by an Act of Congress and the implementation period has not already expired.
(II) Maximum amount
(aa) In general Except as provided under item (bb), the amount expended under subclause (I) shall not exceed $350,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2020 through 2029.
(bb) Exception The limitation on the expenditure amount under item (aa) may be exceeded during the entire period in which the Fund is in existence if such additional funds can be expended without limiting the amounts identified in clause (i), (ii), and (iv).
(cc) Other funding The Secretary shall ensure that any funding under this clause shall be provided in a manner that does not limit the funding available pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii).
(iv) Arizona settlement
(I) In general Subject to subclause (II), effective beginning January 1, 2020, in addition to funding made available pursuant to clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), if in the judgment of the Secretary on an annual basis a sufficient amount of funding is not otherwise available through annual appropriations, the Secretary shall expend from the Fund such amounts on an annual basis consistent with paragraphs (1) and (2), as are necessary to pay the Federal share of the remaining costs of implementing an Indian water rights settlement agreement entered into by the State of Arizona with the Navajo Nation to resolve the water rights claims of the Nation in the Lower Colorado River basin in Arizona, if a settlement is subsequently approved and authorized by an Act of Congress and the implementation period has not already expired.
(II) Maximum amount
(aa) In general Except as provided under item (bb), the amount expended under subclause (I) shall not exceed $100,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2020 through 2029.
(bb) Exception The limitation on the expenditure amount under item (aa) may be exceeded during the entire period in which the Fund is in existence if such additional funds can be expended without limiting the amounts identified in clauses (i) through (iii).
(cc) Other funding The Secretary shall ensure that any funding under this clause shall be provided in a manner that does not limit the funding available pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii).
(C) Reversion
If the settlements described in clauses (ii) through (iv) of subparagraph (B) have not been approved and authorized by an Act of Congress by December 31, 2019, the amounts reserved for the settlements shall no longer be reserved by the Secretary pursuant to subparagraph (A)(i) and shall revert to the Fund for any authorized use, as determined by the Secretary.
(d) Investment of amounts
(1) In general
The Secretary shall invest such portion of the Fund as is not, in the judgment of the Secretary, required to meet current withdrawals.
(2) Credits to Fund
The interest on, and the proceeds from the sale or redemption of, any obligations held in the Fund shall be credited to, and form a part of, the Fund.
(e) Transfers of amounts
(1) In general
The amounts required to be transferred to the Fund under this section shall be transferred at least monthly from the general fund of the Treasury to the Fund on the basis of estimates made by the Secretary of the Treasury.
(2) Adjustments
Proper adjustment shall be made in amounts subsequently transferred to the extent prior estimates were in excess of or less than the amounts required to be transferred.
(f) Termination
On September 30, 2034—
(1) the Fund shall terminate; and
(2) the unexpended and unobligated balance of the Fund shall be transferred to the appropriate fund of the Treasury.

[1] See References in Text note below.
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