H.R. 131 — Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act

This section provides that the Act may be cited as the “Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act.”

This section revises the repayment terms for the Arkansas Valley Conduit in Colorado by replacing the prior 35 percent cost-sharing language with a new subsection that requires the conduit contract to provide for payment of 35 percent of the conduit’s cost, with that amount made up of (1) funding provided during construction from any entity other than the Secretary and (2) for any remaining balance, repayment over not more than 75 years with simple interest at 50 percent of the Treasury rate under section 2(c), based on a demonstration of financial hardship. It also requires the contracting parties to assume the care, operation, maintenance, and replacement of the conduit. (Thus, the provision creates a specific repayment framework for the conduit to provide domestic water supplies to communities and households without reliable access to domestic water supplies.)