S. 2514Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)Passed Senate

Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act

Introduced July 26, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 10:25 AM UTC

The Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act changes how the federal government pays for salinity‑control projects in the Colorado River Basin. It sets specific percentages of project costs that the government will cover without reimbursement, varies those shares by the type of unit, and adds a temporary rule for fiscal years 2024‑2025. The bill also clarifies which basin development funds pay for construction and lets the Secretary raise electricity rates related to the projects.

Key Provisions

  • Specifies non‑reimbursable cost shares for different salinity‑control units, ranging from 70% to 85% of construction, operation, maintenance, and replacement costs, with higher shares for certain on‑farm measures.
  • Adds a special rule for FY 2024‑2025 that makes 75% or 70% of listed costs non‑reimbursable regardless of the usual percentages.
  • Designates that construction costs for some units are payable from the Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund, and others from the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund.
  • States that any costs not covered under the non‑reimbursable allocations are reimbursable under existing provisions.
  • Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to increase rates for electrical energy associated with the salinity‑control projects.

Legislative Activity

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6 earlier actions
HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

December 4, 2024 • 1:06 PM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 26, 2023

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

July 26, 2023

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry discharged by Unanimous Consent.

December 3, 2024

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S6785-6786; text: CR S6785-6786)

December 3, 2024

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 4, 2024

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

December 4, 2024 • 12:53 PM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

December 4, 2024 • 1:06 PM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 2514 on the floor

1 Democrat
Charles E. Schumer
Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · Dec 3, 2024

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be discharged from further consideration of S. 2514 and the Senate proceed to its immediate…

Bill Text

2 versions available

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Latest
Engrossed in SenateIssued December 3, 2024

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 2514

AN ACT

To amend the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act to modify certain requirements applicable to salinity control units, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act.

2.

Salinity control units

Section 205 of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (43 U.S.C. 1595) is amended—

(1)

by striking the section designation and all that follows through (a) The Secretary and inserting the following:

205.

Salinity control units; authority and functions of the Secretary of the Interior

(a)

Allocation of Costs

The Secretary

;

(2)

by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

(1)

Nonreimbursable costs; reimbursable costs

(A)

Nonreimbursable costs

(i)

In general

In recognition of Federal responsibility for the Colorado River as an interstate stream and for international comity with Mexico, Federal ownership of the land of the Colorado River Basin from which most of the dissolved salts originate, and the policy established in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) and except as provided in clause (ii), the following shall be nonreimbursable:

(I)

75 percent of the total costs of construction and replacement of each unit or separable feature of a unit authorized by section 202(a)(1), including 90 percent of—

(aa)

the costs of operation and maintenance of each unit or separable feature of a unit authorized by that section; and

(bb)

the total costs of construction, operation, and maintenance of the associated measures to replace incidental fish and wildlife values foregone.

(II)

75 percent of the total costs of construction and replacement of each unit or separable feature of a unit authorized by section 202(a)(2), including 100 percent of—

(aa)

the costs of operation and maintenance of each unit or separable feature of a unit authorized by that section; and

(bb)

the total costs of construction, operation, and maintenance of the associated measures to replace incidental fish and wildlife values foregone.

(III)

75 percent of the total costs of construction, operation, maintenance, and replacement of each unit or separable feature of a unit authorized by section 202(a)(3), including 75 percent of the total costs of construction, operation, and maintenance of the associated measures to replace incidental fish and wildlife values foregone.

(IV)

70 percent of the total costs of construction, operation, maintenance, and replacement of each unit or separable feature of a unit authorized by paragraphs (4) and (6) of section 202(a), including 70 percent of the total costs of construction, operation, and maintenance of the associated measures to replace incidental fish and wildlife values foregone.

(V)

70 percent of the total costs of construction and replacement of each unit or separable feature of a unit authorized by section 202(a)(5), including 100 percent of—

(aa)

the costs of operation and maintenance of each unit or separable feature of a unit authorized by that section; and

(bb)

the total costs of construction, operation, and maintenance of the associated measures to replace incidental fish and wildlife values foregone.

(VI)

85 percent of the total costs of implementation of the on-farm measures authorized by section 202(c), including 85 percent of the total costs of the associated measures to replace incidental fish and wildlife values foregone.

(ii)

Special rule for nonreimbursable costs for fiscal years 2024 and 2025

Notwithstanding clause (i), for each of fiscal years 2024 and 2025, the following shall be nonreimbursable:

(I)

75 percent of all costs described in clause (i)(I).

(II)

75 percent of all costs described in clause (i)(II).

(III)

70 percent of all costs described in clause (i)(V).

(IV)

The percentages of all costs described in subclauses (III), (IV), and (VI) of clause (i).

(B)

Reimbursable costs

The total costs remaining after the allocations under clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (A) shall be reimbursable as provided for in paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5).

;

(3)

in subsection (b), by striking the subsection designation and all that follows through Costs of construction in paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

(b)

Costs payable from Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund

(1)

In general

Costs of construction

;

(4)

in subsection (c), by striking (c) Costs of construction and inserting the following:

(c)

Costs payable from Upper Colorado River Basin Fund

Costs of construction

; and

(5)

in subsection (e), by striking (e) The Secretary is and inserting the following:

(e)

Upward adjustment of rates for electrical energy

The Secretary is

.

Passed the Senate December 3, 2024.

Secretary