[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2984 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 2984


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 19, 2000

   Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
    To direct the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of 
  Reclamation, to convey to the Loup Basin Reclamation District, the 
Sargent River Irrigation District, and the Farwell Irrigation District, 
Nebraska, property comprising the assets of the Middle Loup Division of 
              the Missouri River Basin Project, Nebraska.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF THE ASSETS OF THE MIDDLE LOUP DIVISION OF THE 
              MISSOURI RIVER BASIN PROJECT, NEBRASKA.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall, as soon as practicable after 
the date of the enactment of this Act and in accordance with all 
applicable law, convey all right, title, and interest in and to the 
property comprising the assets of the Missouri River Basin Project, 
Middle Loup Division, Nebraska, in accordance with the Memorandum of 
Understanding.
    (b) Sale Price.--The Secretary shall accept $2,847,360 as payment 
from the District and $2,600,000 as payment from the power customers 
under the terms specified in this section, as consideration for the 
conveyance under subsection (a). Out of the receipts from the sale of 
power from the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program (Eastern Division) 
collected by the Western Area Power Administration and deposited into 
the Reclamation fund of the Treasury in fiscal year 2001, $2,600,200 
shall be treated as full and complete payment by the power customers of 
such consideration and repayment by the power customers of all aid to 
irrigation associated with the facilities conveyed under subsection 
(a).
    (c) Future Benefits.--Upon payment by the Districts of 
consideration for the conveyance in accordance with the Memorandum of 
Understanding, the Middle Loup Division of the Missouri River Basin 
Project--
            (1) shall not be treated as a Federal reclamation project; 
        and
            (2) shall not be subject to the reclamation laws or 
        entitled to receive any reclamation benefits under those laws.
    (d) Liability.--Except as otherwise provided by law, effective on 
the date of conveyance of the assets under this section, the United 
States shall not be liable for damages of any kind arising out of any 
act, omission, or occurrence based on its prior ownership or operation 
of the assets.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Assets.--The term ``assets'' has the meaning that term 
        has in the Memorandum of Understanding.
            (2) Districts.--The term ``Districts'' means the Loup Basin 
        Reclamation District, the Sargent River Irrigation District, 
        and the Farwell Irrigation District, Nebraska.
            (3) Memorandum of understanding.--The term ``Memorandum of 
        Understanding'' means Bureau of Reclamation memorandum of 
        understanding number 99AG601285, entitled ``MEMORANDUM OF 
        UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
        BUREAU OF RECLAMATION GREAT PLAINS REGION NEBRASKA-KANSAS AREA 
        OFFICE AND LOUP BASIN RECLAMATION DISTRICT FARWELL IRRIGATION 
        DISTRICT SARGENT IRRIGATION DISTRICT CONCERNING PRINCIPLES AND 
        ELEMENTS OF PROPOSED TRANSFER OF TITLE TO WORKS, FACILITIES AND 
        LANDS IN THE MIDDLE LOUP DIVISION''.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 18, 2000.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.