Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act

# Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act - Summary **What the bill does:** This bill would reduce the financial burden on Arkansas River Valley communities in Colorado that are required to repay the federal government for constructing the Arkansas Valley Conduit—a pipeline that delivers water from Pueblo Reservoir to their area. Specifically, it would eliminate interest charges on the repayment and extend the repayment timeline from the current schedule to 100 years, making annual payments significantly smaller. **Who it affects:** The primary beneficiaries would be communities in Colorado's Arkansas River Valley that depend on this water infrastructure project. Taxpayers would effectively absorb the eliminated interest costs, as the federal government would receive less revenue from the repayment.

The Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the project, would also be affected by the extended repayment schedule. **Current status:** The bill was vetoed and did not become law. While the bill had bipartisan support in Congress, the veto prevented its passage. The Arkansas Valley Conduit remains an ongoing infrastructure project, and communities continue repaying under the original terms.