I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1851 
To establish a Federal cost share percentage for the Milk River Project 
in the State of Montana. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 11, 2021 
Mr. ROSENDALE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To establish a Federal cost share percentage for the Milk 
River Project in the State of Montana. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘St. Mary’s Reinvest-
ment Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) 
PROJECT
BENEFICIARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Project Beneficiary’’ means any entity that enters 
into a contract with the Secretary to receive irriga-
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tion water or other associated project benefits in ex-
change for paying for allocated project costs of the 
St. Mary Canal Rehabilitation Phase 1 Project. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 
Commissioner of Reclamation. 
(3) ST. MARY CANAL REHABILITATION PHASE 1 
PROJECT.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘St. Mary 
Canal Rehabilitation Phase 1 Project’’ means 
any activity associated with the construction of 
the St. Mary Diversion Dam or St. Mary Canal 
Headworks within the St. Mary Storage Unit of 
the Milk River Project authorized by Congress 
on March 25, 1905. 
(B) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘‘St. Mary 
Canal Rehabilitation Phase 1 Project’’ does not 
include any activity associated with the oper-
ation or maintenance of the St. Mary Storage 
Unit. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF ST. MARY CANAL REHABILITA-
TION PHASE 1 PROJECT. 
(a) USE OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS.—The Secretary 
may use appropriated funds to carry out the St. Mary 
Canal Rehabilitation Phase 1 Project. 
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(b) PARTICIPATION OF BLACKFEET TRIBE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall coordi-
nate with the Blackfeet Tribe with respect to any re-
placement activities carried out under the St. Mary 
Canal Rehabilitation Phase 1 Project. 
(2) EFFECT ON RIGHTS OF TRIBE.—This Act 
shall not be considered to be an Act appropriating 
funds for the rehabilitation of the St. Mary Unit for 
purposes of section 3708(b)(2)(A) of the Blackfeet 
Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 114–322; 
130 Stat. 1823). 
(c) COST-SHARING
REQUIREMENT.—The Federal 
share of the total cost of the St. Mary Canal Rehabilita-
tion Phase 1 Project shall be not less than 26.04 percent, 
which shall be nonreimbursable to the United States. 
(d) STUDY OF ABILITY TO PAY.—Not later than 1 
year after the date on which funds are first appropriated 
for the St. Mary Canal Rehabilitation Phase 1 Project 
under subsection (f), the Secretary shall conduct, at Fed-
eral expense, a study of the ability of the Project Bene-
ficiaries to pay, in accordance with procedures established 
by the Secretary, the costs of the St. Mary Canal Rehabili-
tation Phase 1 Project. 
(e) REPAYMENT TERMS.—Based on the study con-
ducted under subsection (d), the Secretary shall establish 
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the repayment terms for the Project Beneficiaries with re-
spect to the St. Mary Canal Rehabilitation Phase 1 
Project. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to adjustment under 
paragraph (2), there is authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary $52,000,000 for the St. 
Mary Canal Rehabilitation Phase 1 Project for the 
period of fiscal years 2022 through 2032. 
(2) ADJUSTMENT
OF
AMOUNT.—The amount 
referred to in paragraph (1) may be increased or de-
creased in accordance with ordinary fluctuations in 
development costs incurred after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, as indicated by any available engi-
neering cost indices applicable to construction activi-
ties that are similar to the construction of the St. 
Mary Canal Rehabilitation Phase 1 Project, as de-
termined by the Secretary. 
Æ 
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