Water Rights Protection Act

3/14/2024, 12:48 PM

Water Rights Protection Act - Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) from: (1) conditioning the issuance, renewal, amendment, or extension of any permit, approval, license, lease, allotment, easement, right-of-way, or other land use or occupancy agreement on the transfer of any water right (including joint or sole ownership) directly to the United States, or any impairment in title, in whole or in part, granted or recognized under state law, by federal or state adjudication, decree, or other judgment, or pursuant to any interstate water compact; and (2) requiring any water user (including any federally recognized Indian tribe) to apply for a water right in the name of the United States under state law as a condition of such a land use or occupancy agreement.

States that nothing in this Act shall: (1) limit or expand any existing authority of the Secretaries to condition any permit, approval, license, lease, allotment, easement, right-of-way, or other land use or occupancy agreement on federal lands subject to their respective jurisdictions; (2) interfere with existing or future Bureau of Reclamation contracts; (3) affect the implementation of the Endangered Species Act of 1973; (4) limit or expand any existing federal reserved water rights on lands administered by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture; (5) limit or expand certain authorities under the Federal Power Act; and (6) limit or expand any existing reserved water right or treaty right of any federally recognized Indian tribe.

Congress
113

Number
HR - 3189

Introduced on
2013-09-26

# Amendments
3

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

3/24/2014

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
Failed in House
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Water Rights Protection Act - Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) from: (1) conditioning the issuance, renewal, amendment, or extension of any permit, approval, license, lease, allotment, easement, right-of-way, or other land use or occupancy agreement on the transfer of any water right (including joint or sole ownership) directly to the United States, or any impairment in title, in whole or in part, granted or recognized under state law, by federal or state adjudication, decree, or other judgment, or pursuant to any interstate water compact; and (2) requiring any water user (including any federally recognized Indian tribe) to apply for a water right in the name of the United States under state law as a condition of such a land use or occupancy agreement.

States that nothing in this Act shall: (1) limit or expand any existing authority of the Secretaries to condition any permit, approval, license, lease, allotment, easement, right-of-way, or other land use or occupancy agreement on federal lands subject to their respective jurisdictions; (2) interfere with existing or future Bureau of Reclamation contracts; (3) affect the implementation of the Endangered Species Act of 1973; (4) limit or expand any existing federal reserved water rights on lands administered by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture; (5) limit or expand certain authorities under the Federal Power Act; and (6) limit or expand any existing reserved water right or treaty right of any federally recognized Indian tribe.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedTo prohibit the conditioning of any permit, lease, or other use agreement on the transfer, relinquishment, or other impairment of any water right to the United States by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture.

Policy Areas
Water Resources Development

Potential Impact
Land use and conservation•
Licensing and registrations•
Water use and supply

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary3/18/2014

Water Rights Protection Act - Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) from: (1) conditioning the issuance, renewal, amendment, or extension of any permit, approval, license, lease, allotment, easement, righ...


Latest Action3/24/2014
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.