Bill > HR6568

This bill establishes clear federal responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel, a 2.1-mile engineered waterway near Intake, Montana, designed to help endangered pallid sturgeon and other native fish migrate around the Intake Diversion Dam. The bill explicitly reaffirms that the Bureau of Reclamation will retain full ownership, operational control, and financial responsibility for the bypass channel in perpetuity, preventing any future attempts to transfer these obligations to local irrigation districts or other non-federal entities. The legislation prohibits federal agencies from imposing any operational or financial burdens related to the bypass channel on the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District or Project, and it clarifies that the channel was originally constructed as a federal mitigation measure under the Endangered Species Act to protect the pallid sturgeon. The bill authorizes $1 million annually starting in fiscal year 2026 to ensure the channel's continuous operation, conduct necessary repairs and upgrades, and implement adaptive management strategies. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit biennial reports to congressional committees detailing the channel's operational status, potential modifications, and coordination efforts with other agencies, while maintaining the existing water rights and operational purposes of the local irrigation project.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6568/all-info