Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2021

This bill would formally approve and fund a long-negotiated water rights agreement between the Fort Belknap Indian Community, the State of Montana, and the federal government. It aims to provide the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes with a reliable, legally protected water supply while resolving decades of legal uncertainty for all water users in the region.

For local citizens, the bill would authorize over $1 billion for critical infrastructure, including the repair and expansion of aging irrigation systems and the construction of new facilities for clean drinking water and wastewater treatment. These improvements are designed to support the local agricultural economy, protect the water interests of neighboring non-tribal farmers and ranchers, and foster long-term economic development across north-central Montana.