[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 40720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14699]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

[16XD4523WS\DS10100000\DWSN00000.000000\DP10020]


Statement of Findings: Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 
2010

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Interior is publishing this notice as 
required by section 410(e) of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement 
Act of 2010 (Settlement Act). Congress enacted the Settlement Act as 
Title IV of the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-291). The 
publication of this notice causes certain waivers and releases of 
claims to become effective as required by the Settlement Act.

DATES: This notice is effective June 22, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Address all comments and requests for 
additional information to Douglas Davis, Chair, Crow Water Rights 
Settlement Implementation Team, Department of the Interior, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Great Plains Region, P.O. Box 36900 (GP-1230), Billings, 
MT 59107, (406) 247-7710.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Settlement Act was enacted to resolve 
the water rights claims of the Crow Tribe (Tribe) in the State of 
Montana (State). The Tribe and the State negotiated the Crow Tribe-
Montana Water Compact (Mont. Code. Ann. 85-20-901) (Compact) prior to 
enactment of the Settlement Act. As described in section 402 of the 
Settlement Act, the purposes of the Settlement Act are:
    (1) To achieve a fair, equitable, and final settlement of claims to 
water rights in the State of Montana for the Crow Tribe and for the 
United States for the benefit of the Tribe and allottees;
    (2) to authorize, ratify, and confirm the Compact;
    (3) to authorize and direct the Secretary of the Interior 
(Secretary) to execute the Compact and to take any other action 
necessary to carry out the Compact in accordance with the Settlement 
Act; and
    (4) to ensure the availability of funds necessary for the 
implementation of the Compact and the Settlement Act.
    Section 415 of the Settlement Act provided for repeal of the 
Settlement Act and other consequences if certain conditions were not 
fulfilled on or before March 31, 2016, or by an extended date agreed to 
by the Tribe and the Secretary after reasonable notice to the State, 
whichever is later. On March 21, 2016, after providing reasonable 
notice to the State, the Secretary and the Tribe agreed to extend the 
deadline for publication to June 30, 2016.

Statement of Findings

    In accordance with section 410(e) of the Settlement Act, I find as 
follows:
    1. The Montana Water Court has issued a final judgment and decree 
approving the Compact;
    2. all of the funds made available under subsections (c) through 
(f) of section 414 of the Settlement Act have been deposited in the 
Crow Settlement Fund;
    3. the Secretary has executed the agreements with the Tribe 
required by sections 405(a) and 406(a) of the Settlement Act;
    4. the State has appropriated and paid into an interest-bearing 
escrow account any payments due as of the date of enactment of the 
Settlement Act to the Tribe under the Compact;
    5. the Tribe has ratified the Compact by submitting the Settlement 
Act and the Compact to a vote by the tribal membership for approval or 
disapproval and the tribal membership voted to approve the Settlement 
Act and the Compact by a majority of votes cast on the day of the vote, 
as certified by the Secretary and the Tribe;
    6. the Secretary has fulfilled the requirements of section 408(a) 
of the Settlement Act; and
    7. the waivers and releases authorized and set forth in section 
410(a) of the Settlement Act have been executed by the Tribe and the 
Secretary.

Sally Jewell,
Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2016-14699 Filed 6-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4334-63-P