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
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,
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 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).
(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).
(3) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
Sec. 3. Dakota Mainstem water supply project feasibility study
(a) Study
(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.
(2) Requirement
The study under paragraph (1) shall comply with the reclamation feasibility standards.
(b) Federal share
The Federal share of the total costs of carrying out the feasibility study under this section shall not exceed 50 percent.
(c) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000.
(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.