II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5216 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine 

the feasibility of constructing a project to supply municipal, rural, and 

industrial water from the Missouri River to the Western Dakota Regional 

Water System, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 

Mr. THUNE (for himself and Mr. ROUNDS) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study 

to determine the feasibility of constructing a project to 

supply municipal, rural, and industrial water from the 

Missouri River to the Western Dakota Regional Water 

System, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Western South Dakota 

5 Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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•S 5216 IS

1 (1) RECLAMATION FEASIBILITY STANDARDS.— 

2 The term ‘‘reclamation feasibility standards’’ means 

3 the eligibility criteria and feasibility study require4 ments described in section 106 of the Reclamation 

5 Rural Water Supply Act of 2006 (43 U.S.C. 2405). 

6 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

7 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 

8 Commissioner of Reclamation. 

9 (3) WESTERN DAKOTA REGIONAL WATER SYS10 TEM.—The term ‘‘Western Dakota Regional Water 

11 System’’ means the Western Dakota Regional Water 

12 System, Inc., a nonprofit corporation established and 

13 operated substantially in accordance with the rec14 lamation feasibility standards to serve as a non-Fed15 eral project entity for purposes of the cooperative 

16 agreement entered into under section 3(b). 

17 SEC. 3. WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA WATER SUPPLY 

18 PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY. 

19 (a) STUDY.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta21 tion with the West Dakota Water Development Dis22 trict, through a cooperative agreement, may under23 take a study to determine the feasibility of con24 structing a project to supply municipal, rural, and 


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•S 5216 IS

1 industrial water from the Missouri River to the 

2 Western Dakota Regional Water System. 

3 (2) REQUIREMENT.—The study under para4 graph (1) shall comply with the reclamation feasi5 bility standards. 

6 (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—If the Secretary de7 termines that the study under subsection (a) does not 

8 comply with the reclamation feasibility standards, the Sec9 retary may enter into a cooperative agreement with the 

10 Western Dakota Regional Water System to complete addi11 tional work to ensure that the study under that subsection 

12 complies with the reclamation feasibility standards. 

13 (c) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the 

14 total costs of carrying out the feasibility study under this 

15 section shall not exceed 50 percent. 

16 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

17 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 

18 out this section $10,000,000. 

19 (e) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority 

20 provided by this section expires on the date that is 10 

21 years after the date of enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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