HR 131

Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act

This bill changes the way the Arkansas Valley Conduit project in Colorado is paid back. It removes any interest that would be added to the payments. It says the money used to pay back the project must come only from funds that were put into the project while it was being built, and those funds must come from sources other than the Secretary of the Interior. It also sets the repayment time to stretch over 100 years instead of a shorter period. In short, the bill makes the repayment cheaper and longer, but limits where the money can come from.

• Removes interest on repayment, reducing future costs for the federal government and taxpayers.
• Requires repayment to come only from construction‑phase funding that does not involve the Secretary, limiting other possible funding sources.
• Extends the repayment schedule to 100 years, spreading the cost over many decades.
• Potentially reduces income for the Secretary of the Interior or other federal agencies that might have received interest or broader funding sources.
• Local Colorado water users may see lower immediate costs but will have a longer obligation period.
• The change could affect federal budget projections by altering cash flow and interest revenue.