Lower Yellowstone Native Fish Act

Full Title:
Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act

Summary#

This bill says the Bureau of Reclamation will keep full ownership, control, and financial responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel near Intake, Montana. The channel was built as a federal mitigation project to help the endangered pallid sturgeon and other native fish. The bill defines key terms, says the Secretary of the Interior (through the Commissioner of Reclamation) must operate and pay for the channel, and bans transferring those duties or costs to the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District, the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project, or any other non-federal entity. It also says the Secretary and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service keep responsibility for pallid sturgeon recovery under the Endangered Species Act, requires coordination with state wildlife agencies, and requires the Secretary to provide a biennial report to two Congressional committees. The bill authorizes $1,000,000 to be appropriated each fiscal year starting in 2026 for operation, repairs, and adaptive management. It gives the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana exclusive jurisdiction over disputes under the Act.

What it means for you#

  • The Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District and the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project are not required to operate, maintain, or pay for the fish bypass channel.
  • Water delivery and existing water rights and agreements tied to the irrigation project are not changed by this bill.
  • The federal government (Secretary of the Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) remains responsible for pallid sturgeon conservation actions tied to the channel.
  • Stakeholders can bring legal claims in federal district court in Montana if the federal government tries to shift responsibility.

Expenses#

  • The bill authorizes $1,000,000 to be appropriated to the Secretary for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter for continuous operation, repairs, upgrades, and adaptive management of the channel.
  • The Secretary must administer those funds and may not transfer them to non-federal entities.
  • No publicly available information on total long-term costs beyond the annual authorization or on official budget scoring is provided in the bill text.

Proponents' View#

Proponents say the bill clarifies that the fish bypass channel is a separate federal mitigation project built and funded to meet Endangered Species Act obligations. It aims to ensure long-term conservation of the pallid sturgeon and other native fish while protecting the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District and Project from being assigned unexpected financial or operational burdens.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.