S 3725 — 119th Congress

Lewis and Clark Regional Water System Expansion Feasibility Study Act

Introduced Jan 29, 2026 Open for voting
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Core Policy Mechanism Top 3

Water System Expansion Feasibility Study Mandate

Directs the federal government to assess whether expanding the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System (LCRWS) in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota is practical, and to recommend whether construction should be authorized and at what cost share.

  • Population Scope Low The mandate directly affects communities served by a single regional water system spanning three states, a narrow sub-national population well under 10% of the U.S.
  • Budgetary Magnitude Low The study mandate itself does not authorize or appropriate funds; budgetary authority is addressed separately in the funding provision.
  • Legal / Regulatory Depth Medium Creates a new statutory duty requiring the Secretary of the Interior (DOI) to conduct a study and deliver a report with specified content to Congress, binding agency conduct rather than changing substantive law.
  • Degree of Discretion Granted Medium Mandatory 'shall' language governs the study and report obligations, but the Secretary of the Interior retains discretion in structuring the study, selecting consultees, and recommending the non-federal construction cost share.
  • Implementation & Enforcement Burden Low No enforcement mechanisms or penalties are created; the burden is limited to coordinating a single study with designated partners.
  • Temporal Commitment Low Authority expires automatically 10 years after enactment and self-terminates unless Congress acts to extend it.
No signal yet

Funding / Appropriations Top 3

Feasibility Study Funding Authorization — $10 Million

Authorizes up to $10 million for the federal share of a water supply feasibility study, with the federal portion capped at 50 percent of total study costs.

  • Population Scope Low Funds flow exclusively to a single regional water system and the communities it serves across three states, a narrow sub-national population.
  • Budgetary Magnitude Low Authorizes up to $10 million in discretionary appropriations, a modest one-time ceiling for a single feasibility study.
  • Legal / Regulatory Depth Low Authorizing appropriations for a discrete administrative study is a narrow financial enablement with no change to substantive or procedural law beyond the study itself.
  • Degree of Discretion Granted Medium The Secretary of the Interior (DOI) retains discretion in structuring the cost-sharing or financial assistance agreement with the non-federal project entity, though the federal share ceiling of 50 percent is fixed.
  • Implementation & Enforcement Burden Low Requires execution of a cost-sharing agreement but creates no new enforcement infrastructure or compliance obligations beyond that administrative step.
  • Temporal Commitment Low Spending authority expires 10 years after enactment, self-terminating unless Congress affirmatively extends it.
No signal yet

Duration, Sunset, and Review Top 3

10-Year Expiration of Study Authority

The authority to conduct the feasibility study and spend associated funds expires automatically 10 years after the bill is enacted, unless Congress acts to extend it.

  • Population Scope Low The expiration clause applies only to the Secretary of the Interior (DOI) and the non-federal project entity operating the regional water system, a very narrow set of actors.
  • Budgetary Magnitude Low The sunset provision neither authorizes nor appropriates funds; it limits the window during which the funding and study authorities may operate.
  • Legal / Regulatory Depth Low Automatically terminating a discrete administrative authority after a fixed period is a narrow legal action affecting only this program, not substantive or procedural law more broadly.
  • Degree of Discretion Granted Low No discretion is granted; the expiration is mandatory and self-executing with no agency role in triggering or deferring it.
  • Implementation & Enforcement Burden Low The provision imposes no compliance requirements, penalties, or administrative burden — it simply terminates authority on a fixed date.
  • Temporal Commitment Low Authority self-terminates 10 years after enactment, requiring no congressional action to end it.
No signal yet

No possible riders have been surfaced for this bill.

Summary

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior (DOI) to study whether it is practical to build a project that would expand the water supply capacity of the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System (LCRWS) in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota. The study would examine costs and recommend whether construction should be authorized, with the federal government covering no more than 50 percent of study costs and at least 25 percent of any future construction costs coming from non-federal sources. Up to $10 million is authorized for the study, and the authority expires 10 years after enactment.

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Version Event Date User support Your vote Roll calls
Original
Initial publication
Jan 29, 2026
Jan 29, 2026 No votes yet — —

Core Policy Mechanism Top 3

Water System Expansion Feasibility Study Mandate

Directs the federal government to assess whether expanding the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System (LCRWS) in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota is practical, and to recommend whether construction should be authorized and at what cost share.

  • Population Scope Low The mandate directly affects communities served by a single regional water system spanning three states, a narrow sub-national population well under 10% of the U.S.
  • Budgetary Magnitude Low The study mandate itself does not authorize or appropriate funds; budgetary authority is addressed separately in the funding provision.
  • Legal / Regulatory Depth Medium Creates a new statutory duty requiring the Secretary of the Interior (DOI) to conduct a study and deliver a report with specified content to Congress, binding agency conduct rather than changing substantive law.
  • Degree of Discretion Granted Medium Mandatory 'shall' language governs the study and report obligations, but the Secretary of the Interior retains discretion in structuring the study, selecting consultees, and recommending the non-federal construction cost share.
  • Implementation & Enforcement Burden Low No enforcement mechanisms or penalties are created; the burden is limited to coordinating a single study with designated partners.
  • Temporal Commitment Low Authority expires automatically 10 years after enactment and self-terminates unless Congress acts to extend it.
No signal yet

Core Policy Mechanism

Water System Expansion Feasibility Study Mandate

Funding / Appropriations Top 3

Feasibility Study Funding Authorization — $10 Million

Authorizes up to $10 million for the federal share of a water supply feasibility study, with the federal portion capped at 50 percent of total study costs.

  • Population Scope Low Funds flow exclusively to a single regional water system and the communities it serves across three states, a narrow sub-national population.
  • Budgetary Magnitude Low Authorizes up to $10 million in discretionary appropriations, a modest one-time ceiling for a single feasibility study.
  • Legal / Regulatory Depth Low Authorizing appropriations for a discrete administrative study is a narrow financial enablement with no change to substantive or procedural law beyond the study itself.
  • Degree of Discretion Granted Medium The Secretary of the Interior (DOI) retains discretion in structuring the cost-sharing or financial assistance agreement with the non-federal project entity, though the federal share ceiling of 50 percent is fixed.
  • Implementation & Enforcement Burden Low Requires execution of a cost-sharing agreement but creates no new enforcement infrastructure or compliance obligations beyond that administrative step.
  • Temporal Commitment Low Spending authority expires 10 years after enactment, self-terminating unless Congress affirmatively extends it.
No signal yet

Funding / Appropriations

Feasibility Study Funding Authorization — $10 Million

Duration, Sunset, and Review Top 3

10-Year Expiration of Study Authority

The authority to conduct the feasibility study and spend associated funds expires automatically 10 years after the bill is enacted, unless Congress acts to extend it.

  • Population Scope Low The expiration clause applies only to the Secretary of the Interior (DOI) and the non-federal project entity operating the regional water system, a very narrow set of actors.
  • Budgetary Magnitude Low The sunset provision neither authorizes nor appropriates funds; it limits the window during which the funding and study authorities may operate.
  • Legal / Regulatory Depth Low Automatically terminating a discrete administrative authority after a fixed period is a narrow legal action affecting only this program, not substantive or procedural law more broadly.
  • Degree of Discretion Granted Low No discretion is granted; the expiration is mandatory and self-executing with no agency role in triggering or deferring it.
  • Implementation & Enforcement Burden Low The provision imposes no compliance requirements, penalties, or administrative burden — it simply terminates authority on a fixed date.
  • Temporal Commitment Low Authority self-terminates 10 years after enactment, requiring no congressional action to end it.
No signal yet

Duration, Sunset, and Review

10-Year Expiration of Study Authority