Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Amendment Act of 2025

H.R. 831 would establish a dedicated interest-bearing account at the U.S. Department of the Treasury to hold funds contributed by Arizona, California, and Nevada to the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP). Currently, these state contributions sit in accounts that earn no interest, costing the program approximately $2 million annually in potential returns. The bill would allow the Secretary of the Treasury to invest unused portions of these funds in government interest-bearing obligations, enabling the accumulated money to grow before being spent on conservation work.

The LCR MSCP is a 50-year conservation effort with a total budget of $626 million, with federal government covering 50 percent of costs and the three states splitting the remaining 50 percent. Over time, the pace of state funding contributions has exceeded actual spending on conservation work, resulting in over $60 million in accumulated contributed funds held by the Bureau of Reclamation. By allowing these funds to earn interest, the bill aims to provide additional resources for protecting endangered species and wildlife habitat along the Lower Colorado River at no additional cost to taxpayers.