A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to proceed with development of the WEB Pipeline, to provide for the study of South Dakota water projects to be developed in lieu of the Oahe and Pollock-Herreid irrigation projects, and to make available Missouri Basin pumping power to projects authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944 to receive such power.
PL 97-273 (H.R.4347), enacted 09/30/1982

PUBLIC LAW 97-273—SEPT. 30, 1982 
96 STAT. 1181 
Public Law 97-273 
97th Congress 
An Act 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to proceed with development of the WEB 
pipeline, to provide for the study of South Dakota water projects to be developed in 
lieu of the Oahe and Pollock-Herreid irrigation projects, and to make available 
Missouri basin pumping power to projects authorized by the Flood Control Act of 
1944 to receive such power. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the WEB 
Rural Water Development Project, authorized by section 9 of the 
Rural Development Policy Act of 1980 (94 Stat. 1175), is reauthorized 
subject to the provisions of section 9 of that Act, as amended by 
section 2 of this Act. The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter 
referred to as the "Secretary") is authorized to proceed with the 
development of the WEB Rural Water Development Project, consist-
ent with the terms and conditions of section 9(e) of that Act, as 
amended by section 2 of this Act, and to make available for immedi-
ate obligation any funds appropriated for such project for fiscal year 
1981. 
SEC. 2. Section 9 of the Rural Development Policy Act of 1980 is 
amended by— 
(a) striking out in subsection (b) all after "the types of con-
struction involved herein" and inserting a period in lieu 
thereof; 
(b) striking out the first sentence of subsection (d); and 
(c) striking out the first sentence of subsection (e) and insert-
ing in lieu thereof the following: "The Secretary of the Interior 
shall use funds appropriated under this Act to provide financial 
assistance to plan and develop the WEB Rural Water Develop-
ment Project under the terms and conditions of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act and the rules and 
regulations promulgated by the Department of Agriculture 
under that Act, except to the extent such Act or rules or 
regulations promulgated thereunder are inconsistent with the 
provisions of this section.". 
SEC. 3. (a) The Secretary is authorized, in cooperation with the 
State of South Dakota, to conduct feasibility investigations of the 
following proposed water resource developments: 
(1) alternate uses of facilities constructed for use in conjunc-
tion with the Oahe unit, initial stage, James division, Pick-
Sloan Missouri basin program. South Dakota; 
(2) future uses in South Dakota of water delivered by the 
Garrison unit, Pick-Sloan Missouri basin program, North 
Dakota; and 
(3) a reformulated plan for the development of the Pollock-
Herreid unit. South Dakota pumping division, Pick-Sloan Mis-
souri basin program, South Dakota, including irrigation of 
alternative lands or reduced acreages. 
(b) The Secretary shall report to Congress the findings of the 
studies authorized by this section along with his recommendations. 
Sept. 30, 1982 
[H.R. 4347] 
WEB Rural 
Water 
Development 
Project. 
94 Stat. 1171. 
Funds, appropri-
ation. 
94 Stat. 1175. 
7 u s e 1921 note. 
Proposed water 
resource 
developments, 
investigations. 
Report to 
Congress. 
96 STAT. 1182 
PUBLIC LAW 97-273—SEPT. 30, 1982 
Oahe unit, 
initial stage. 
Appropriation 
authorization. 
(c) The Secretary may contract with the State to carry out the 
studies authorized by this section. 
SEC. 4. (a) The Secretary is authorized to cancel the master 
contract and participating and security contracts for the Oahe unit, 
initial Stage: Provided, That such actions shall be done with the 
agreement of the Oahe Conservancy Subdistrict and the Spink and 
West Brown irrigation districts: Provided further, That any repay-
ment obligation existing at the time of cancellation of the master 
and participating and security contracts shall thereafter be treated 
as a deferred cost of the Pick-Sloan Missouri basin program: Pro-
vided, however, That such costs shall be assumed and repaid by the 
beneficiaries of any future project which utilizes the Oahe unit 
facilities. Such repayment obligation and manner of repayment 
shall be determined pursuant to the Act of June 17, 1902, and Acts 
supplementary thereto and amendatory thereof (43 U.S.C. 371). 
(b) Those features of the authorized plan of development for the 
Oahe unit, initial stage, which were designed for and could be used 
only to deliver irrigation water to the Spink and West Brown 
irrigation districts namely: Faulkton, Cresbard, West Main, Red-
field, James, and East canals; Cresbard and Byron dams and reser-
voirs; James and Byron pumping plants; and associated features; 
shall not be constructed by the Secretary without further action by 
the Congress, but nothing in this Act shall be deemed to limit the 
authority of the Secretary to recommend development of other 
features, based upon any study authorized by section 3(a)(1) of this 
Act. 
SEC. 5. The Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with the 
Department of Energy, is authorized to make available the Pick-
Sloan Missouri basin program pumping power to the Crow Creek, 
Cheyenne River, Omaha and Standing Rock Indian Reservation 
irrigation developments, and the Grass Rope Unit, Pick-Sloan Mis-
souri basin program. Such pumping power shall also be made 
available to such additional irrigation projects as may be subse-
quently authorized to receive such power by Act of Congress. 
SEC. 6. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated beginning 
October 1, 1982, such funds as may be necessary to carry out the 
provisions of this Act. 
Approved September 30, 1982. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4347: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 97-524 Pt. 1 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs), Pt. 2 
(Comm. on Agriculture). 
SENATE REPORT No. 97-514 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 128 (1982): 
June 8, considered and passed House. 
Aug. 19, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Sept. 23, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 18, No. 39 (1982): 
Sept. 30, Presidential statement.