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San Carlos Indian Irrigation Project Divestiture Act of 1991

Public Law 102-231 · H.R. 1476 · 102nd Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Dec 12, 1991 · Native Americans

Sponsor: Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ-5)

Cosponsors (7): Rep. Morris Udall,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

San Carlos Indian Irrigation Project Divestiture Act of 1991 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to transfer U.S. interests in the electrical system of the San Carlos Irrigation Project (SCIP) in Arizona to: (1) the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) and the San Carlos Apache Tribe (SCAT) for the portions of the system on their reservations; and (2) the San Carlos Irrigation and Drainage District (SCIDD) for remaining portions.% Directs the Secretary to negotiate an agreement with GRIC, SCAT, and SCIDD for the transfer of associated assets and to distribute those assets in a manner that reflects the proportionate number of miles of distribution line to be transferred to GRIC, SCAT, and SCIDD. Requires the Secretary to retain ownership of the electric generating and maintenance facilities located in the power house and switchyard at Coolidge Dam.

Directs the Secretary to establish the Environmental Protection Account, to be administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to fund the disposal of hazardous waste materials associated with the SCIP electrical system transferred to GRIC and SCAT and with those areas and components retained by the Secretary. Makes the Secretary responsible for unfunded disposals.

Directs the Secretary of Energy, upon the request of the Secretary of the Interior, to enter into agreements to reallocate SCIP's allocation of Federal power resources. Directs the Secretary of Energy to treat GRIC, SCIDD, and SCAT as successors in interest to SCIP in reallocating SCIP's allocation of capacity and energy from the Parker Davis Project and the Colorado River Storage Project, including capacity and energy available pursuant to any agreement to provide preference power to SCIP prior to December 31, 1992. Assigns SCIP allocations of winter and summer capacity and energy to GRIC, SCIDD, and SCAT. Requires the BIA to assign its contract with the Arizona Power Authority for capacity and energy from the Boulder Canyon Project accordingly.

Directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with GRIC and SCIDD to provide a long-term power supply to the irrigation wells and pumps installed by SCIP to provide water to SCIP lands on and off GRIC lands.

Requires the Secretary of the Interior to allocate all SCIP funds to GRIC, SCIDD, and SCAT for specified uses. Requires SCIP debt obligations owed by GRIC and SCIDD to the United States to be deposited in the Environmental Protection Account. Directs the Secretary to waive any debt for electric service not to exceed $165,000 which SCIP claims is owed by the San Carlos Apache Tribal Utility Authority or SCAT as of September 1, 1991. Entitles any Federal employee at SCIP whose position is terminated by this Act to elect to continue receiving workers' compensation, retirement, and health and life insurance benefits for his or her period of employment with the tribal authority, provided such authority deposits employee deductions and agency contributions in the appropriate funds. Directs the Secretary to establish and maintain a Departmental Priority Placement Program for SCIP employees who are involuntarily separated as a result of the divestiture of the SCIP electrical system.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.

  1. Dec 12, 1991Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-231.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 3, 1991PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 25, 1991FloorFloor · Received in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Nov 23, 1991FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  7. FloorFloor · Mr. Miller (CA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  8. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
  9. Nov 20, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
  10. Oct 29, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Natural Resources Committee
  11. Mar 19, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
  12. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.