Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act

This bill states that the federal Bureau of Reclamation keeps full ownership, control, and financial responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel, a 2.1-mile channel near Intake, Montana, that lets pallid sturgeon and other native fish move around the Intake Diversion Dam. It bars federal agencies from transferring the channel's costs or duties to the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District, the irrigation project, or any other non-federal entity, and voids any earlier agreements that tried to do so. It authorizes $1 million per year starting in fiscal year 2026 for the channel's operation, repairs, and management, and requires a report to Congress every two years. It also lets the irrigation district and affected stakeholders sue in federal court in Montana if the federal government tries to shift responsibility for the channel.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Troy Downing Republican sponsor
• 0 cosponsors