This bill authorizes the construction and funding of various water development projects in Wyoming, establishing new legal provisions under W.S. 99-3-3001 through 99-3-3004. It details specific projects, such as the Big Horn Regional JPB South Transmission Project aimed at enhancing municipal and rural water supply, and cloud seeding initiatives to augment winter snowpack. The legislation outlines project budgets, state grants, and funding conditions, emphasizing that sponsors must secure a portion of funding from other sources. Additionally, it introduces a definition for "small water development projects" and outlines the criteria and administrative procedures for these projects, exempting them from certain provisions of the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act.

The bill also amends existing legal language regarding project budgets and appropriations, notably increasing the total project budget for the Project Sponsor's Contingency Fund from $5.7 million to $8.6 million and raising the allowable loan amount for project completion from 33% to 50% of the cost difference between the original budget and actual construction costs. Other amendments include significant budget adjustments for various projects, such as the GR/RS/SC JPWB Pump Station and the Eden Valley Irrigation District System Improvements. The bill facilitates the transfer of funds between water development accounts and stipulates that unexpended funds will revert to their respective accounts by July 1, 2028, reflecting a shift in timelines from previous legislation.

Statutes affected:
25LSO-0452 v0.6: 99-3-1106, 99-3-2203, 99-3-2205, 99-3-2303, 99-3-2404, 99-3-2406, 99-3-2503, 99-3-2504, 99-3-2603