Reported to Senate

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3736 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 651
119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3736

    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 to the Dakota Mainstem Regional 
    Water System service area in the States of South Dakota, Iowa, 
            Nebraska, and Minnesota, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 29, 2026

 Mr. Rounds (for himself and Mr. Thune) introduced the following bill; 
   which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

                           September 17, 2026

                 Reported by Mr. Lee, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 to the Dakota Mainstem Regional 
    Water System service area in the States of South Dakota, Iowa, 
            Nebraska, and Minnesota, and for other purposes.

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

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Dakota Mainstem Water 
Supply Project Feasibility Study Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    In this Act:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Dakota mainstem regional water system.--The 
        term ``Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System'' means the Dakota 
        Mainstem Regional Water System, Inc., a nonprofit corporation 
        established and operated substantially in accordance with the 
        reclamation feasibility standards to serve as a non-Federal 
        project entity for purposes of the cooperative agreement 
        entered into under section 3(a)(1).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Reclamation feasibility standards.--The term 
        ``reclamation feasibility standards'' means the eligibility 
        criteria and feasibility study requirements described in part 
        404 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor 
        regulations).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the 
        Secretary of the Interior.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. DAKOTA MAINSTEM WATER SUPPLY PROJECT FEASIBILITY 
              STUDY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation 
        with the Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System, through a 
        cooperative agreement, may undertake a study to determine the 
        feasibility of constructing a project to supply municipal, 
        rural, and industrial water to the Dakota Mainstem Regional 
        Water System service area in the States of South Dakota, Iowa, 
        Nebraska, and Minnesota.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirement.--The study under paragraph (1) 
        shall comply with the reclamation feasibility 
        standards.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the total costs 
of carrying out the feasibility study under this section shall not 
exceed 50 percent.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
$10,000,000.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Termination of Authority.--The authority provided by 
this section expires on the date that is 10 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project 
Feasibility Study Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Dakota mainstem water supply project.--The term 
        ``Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project'' means the proposed 
        project to supply municipal, rural, and industrial water to the 
        Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System service area in the 
        States of South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota.
            (2) Non-federal project entity.--The term ``non-Federal 
        project entity'' means the Dakota Mainstem Regional Water 
        System, Inc., a nonprofit corporation established and operated 
        substantially in accordance with the reclamation feasibility 
        standards to serve as a non-Federal project entity for purposes 
        of the cooperative agreement entered into under section 
        3(a)(1).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior (acting through the Commissioner of 
        Reclamation).

SEC. 3. DAKOTA MAINSTEM WATER SUPPLY PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, in coordination with the 
        non-Federal project entity, shall carry out a study to 
        determine the feasibility of constructing the Dakota Mainstem 
        Water Supply Project in accordance with the reclamation laws 
        and reclamation feasibility standards.
            (2) Feasibility report.--After completion of the 
        feasibility study for the Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
                    (A) develop a feasibility report that includes a 
                recommendation of the Secretary on--
                            (i) whether the Dakota Mainstem Water 
                        Supply Project is found to be technically and 
                        financially feasible in accordance with the 
                        reclamation laws;
                            (ii) whether the Dakota Mainstem Water 
                        Supply Project should be authorized for 
                        construction; and
                            (iii) the appropriate non-Federal share of 
                        construction costs for the Dakota Mainstem 
                        Water Supply Project, which shall be at least 
                        25 percent of the total construction costs;
                    (B) submit the report under subparagraph (A) to the 
                Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
                and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (C) make the report under subparagraph (A) publicly 
                available, along with associated feasibility study 
                documents.
            (3) Consultation and cooperation.--In addition to the non-
        Federal project entity, the Secretary shall consult and 
        cooperate with appropriate Federal, State, Tribal, regional, 
        and local authorities during the conduct of the feasibility 
        study and development of the feasibility report under this 
        section.
    (b) Cost-sharing Agreement for Feasibility Study Costs.--The 
Secretary shall enter into a cost-sharing agreement (or an appropriate 
financial assistance agreement, as determined by the Secretary) with 
the non-Federal project entity to conduct a study under subsection (a) 
that complies with the reclamation feasibility standards.
    (c) Federal Share of Feasibility Study Costs; Funding.--
            (1) Federal share; funding.--The Federal share of the total 
        costs of carrying out the feasibility study under this 
        section--
                    (A) shall not exceed 50 percent; and
                    (B) shall be paid for by the Secretary using 
                appropriated funds.
            (2) Identification of funds.--Not later than 90 days after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall identify 
        sources of available funds to pay the Federal share under 
        paragraph (1)(B).
    (d) Limitation on Expenditures.--Not more than $10,000,000 of 
Federal funds may be expended to carry out the feasibility study under 
this section.
    (e) Termination of Authority.--The authority provided by this 
section expires on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act.
                                                       Calendar No. 651

119th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 3736

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 to the Dakota Mainstem Regional 
    Water System service area in the States of South Dakota, Iowa, 
            Nebraska, and Minnesota, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           September 17, 2026

                       Reported with an amendment