I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5705 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct studies to determine 
the feasibility and environmental impact of rehabilitating the St. Mary 
Diversion and Conveyance Works and the Milk River Project, to author-
ize the rehabilitation and improvement of the St. Mary Diversion and 
Conveyance Works, to develop an emergency response plan for use in 
the case of catastrophic failure of the St. Mary Diversion and Conveyance 
Works, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 28, 2006 
Mr. REHBERG introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct studies 
to determine the feasibility and environmental impact 
of rehabilitating the St. Mary Diversion and Conveyance 
Works and the Milk River Project, to authorize the reha-
bilitation and improvement of the St. Mary Diversion 
and Conveyance Works, to develop an emergency re-
sponse plan for use in the case of catastrophic failure 
of the St. Mary Diversion and Conveyance Works, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘St. Mary Diversion 
and Conveyance Works and Milk River Project Act of 
2006’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) BLACKFEET
IRRIGATION
PROJECT.—The 
term ‘‘Blackfeet Irrigation Project’’ means the Bu-
reau of Indian Affairs Blackfeet Irrigation Project 
located within the exterior boundaries of the Black-
feet Reservation. 
(2) 
BLACKFEET
RESERVATION.—The 
term 
‘‘Blackfeet Reservation’’ means the Blackfeet Indian 
Reservation of Montana. 
(3) BLACKFEET TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Blackfeet 
Tribe’’ means the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet 
Reservation. 
(4) BOARD.—The term ‘‘Board’’ means the 
Joint Board of Control for the Milk River Project 
established in accordance with State law . 
(5) CATASTROPHIC
INFRASTRUCTURE
FAIL-
URE.—The term ‘‘catastrophic infrastructure fail-
ure’’ means a failure of the infrastructure of the St. 
Mary Diversion and Conveyance Works that causes 
a significant disruption in the operation of the water 
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system that, if not addressed, would, as determined 
by the Secretary, pose a serious threat to— 
(A) the lives, health, or property of the 
residents of the Blackfeet Reservation; or 
(B) the economic or environmental health 
of— 
(i) the Blackfeet Reservation; or 
(ii) the region served by the Milk 
River Project. 
(6) CHINOOK
DIVISION.—The term ‘‘Chinook 
Division’’ means the Harlem, Paradise Valley, Zu-
rich, Alfalfa Valley, and Fort Belknap irrigation dis-
tricts established in accordance with State law. 
(7) EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN.—The term 
‘‘emergency response plan’’ means the emergency re-
sponse plan developed under section 4(a). 
(8) FORT BELKNAP RESERVATION.—The term 
‘‘Fort Belknap Reservation’’ means the Fort 
Belknap Reservation of the Fort Belknap Indian 
Community of Montana. 
(9) FUND.—The term ‘‘Fund’’ means the 
Emergency Response Plan Fund established by sec-
tion 5(a). 
(10) MILK RIVER PROJECT.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘Milk River 
Project’’ means the Bureau of Reclamation 
project authorized by the Secretary on March 
14, 1903, under the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 
Stat. 388, chapter 1093), commencing at Lake 
Sherburne Reservoir and providing water to a 
point approximately 6 miles east of Nashua, 
Montana. 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘Milk River 
Project’’ includes— 
(i) Swiftcurrent Dike; 
(ii) Lake Sherburne; 
(iii) Nelson and Fresno dams, dikes, 
and reservoirs; 
(iv) St. Mary, Dodson, Vandalia, and 
Paradise diversion dams; 
(v) Dodson pumping plant; and 
(vi) 
miles 
of 
associated 
canals, 
laterals, and drains. 
(11) REHABILITATION
PROJECT.—The term 
‘‘rehabilitation project’’ means the St. Mary Diver-
sion and Conveyance Works rehabilitation and im-
provement project authorized under section 3(b)(1). 
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(12) REPAYMENT CONTRACT.—The term ‘‘re-
payment contract’’ means the repayment contract 
entered into under section 3(b)(6)(C). 
(13) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of the Interior. 
(14) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the 
State of Montana. 
(15) ST. MARY DIVERSION AND CONVEYANCE 
WORKS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘St. Mary 
Diversion and Conveyance Works’’ means the 
portion of the Milk River Project authorized by 
the Secretary on March 25, 1905, under the 
Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 
1093), that— 
(i) is located within the exterior 
boundaries of the Blackfeet Reservation; 
and 
(ii) diverts water from the St. Mary 
River into the North Fork of the Milk 
River. 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘St. Mary 
Diversion and Conveyance Works’’ includes— 
(i) the diversion dam on the St. Mary 
River; 
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(ii) Swiftcurrent Dike; 
(iii) canals; 
(iv) siphons; 
(v) the 5 drop structures; and 
(vi) other associated canal facilities. 
SEC. 3. ST. MARY DIVERSION AND CONVEYANCE WORKS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF STUDIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the State, the Blackfeet Tribe, and other 
rehabilitation project stakeholders, shall conduct 1 
or more studies— 
(A) to determine the feasibility of rehabili-
tating and improving the St. Mary Diversion 
and Conveyance Works to provide for sustained 
environmental and economic benefit within the 
St. Mary and Milk River basins; and 
(B) to determine the environmental impact 
of the proposed rehabilitation project. 
(2) USE OF EXISTING INFORMATION AND RE-
SOURCES.—In preparing any study under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent 
practicable, use existing studies, including engineer-
ing and resource information provided by, or at the 
direction of, the Blackfeet Tribe or Federal, State, 
or local agencies. 
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