Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act

HR7331, the Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act, was introduced in the House on February 3, 2026, by Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large] and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. The bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a project to supply municipal, rural, and industrial water to the Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System service area in South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. The Federal share of this study is capped at 50% of the total costs. The bill authorizes an appropriation of up to $10,000,000 for this feasibility study. It is crucial to note that this is an authorization, not an appropriation. Actual funding for the study would require a separate appropriations bill to pass both chambers of Congress and be signed into law. Therefore, while a spending ceiling is established, no funds have been allocated yet. The money, if appropriated, would likely flow to engineering and environmental consulting firms specializing in large-scale water infrastructure projects. Given that this bill only funds a feasibility study, direct beneficiaries at this stage are limited to consulting and engineering firms that would bid on such a study. There are no specific publicly traded companies that are guaranteed to benefit from a feasibility study authorization. The bill's early stage and the nature of the funding (study, not construction) mean that the immediate market impact is minimal. The authority provided by this section expires on the date that is 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act. HR7331 is currently in the early stages of the legislative process, having been introduced and referred to committee on the same day. There is a companion bill, S3736, which is an identical bill in the Senate and has already had hearings held by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. The existence of a companion bill increases the probability of eventual passage for the study authorization. The next legislative steps for HR7331 would involve committee consideration, potential mark-up, and a vote in the House, followed by similar processes in the Senate if it passes the House.