Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73not60

§277d–30 Lower Rio Grande Drainage Conveyance Canal Projects; Agreements with Mexico for Construction, Operation, and Maintenance; Division of Costs; Non-federal Assurances of One-half of Federal Costs

Title 22 › Chapter 7— INTERNATIONAL BUREAUS, CONGRESSES, ETC. › Subchapter IV— INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION › § 277d–30

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of State, through the U.S. Commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission, may make an agreement with Mexican officials to build, run, and maintain a drainage canal in Mexico to carry waters of El Morillo and other drains into the Gulf of Mexico, following the plan in the Commission’s minute 223 dated November 30, 1965. This may be done even if other laws would block it, and it must meet the conditions in this section and section 277d–31. Construction (including design and land), and operation and maintenance costs must be split one-half to the United States and one-half to the United Mexican States. Before signing, the Secretary must get reliable promises from private citizens or a local group that they will pay one-half of the actual U.S. construction costs (including design and land) and one-half of the actual U.S. operation and maintenance costs. Those payments go into the U.S. Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §277d–30

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary of State, acting through the United States Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, is authorized, notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to the conditions provided in this section and section 277d–31 of this title to conclude an agreement or agreements with the appropriate official or officials of the Government of the United Mexican States for the construction, operation, and maintenance by the United Mexican States under the supervision of the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, of a drainage conveyance canal through Mexican territory for the discharge of waters of El Morillo and other drains in the United Mexican States into the Gulf of Mexico in the manner, and having substantially the characteristics, described in said Commission’s minute numbered 223, dated November 30, 1965. The agreement or agreements shall provide that the cost of construction including costs of design and right-of-way and the costs of operation and maintenance, shall be equally divided between the United Mexican States and the United States. Before concluding the agreement or agreements, the Secretary of State shall receive satisfactory assurances from private citizens or a responsible local group that they or it will pay to the United States Treasury one-half of the actual United States costs of such construction, including costs of design and right-of-way, and one-half of the actual costs of operation and maintenance allocated under such agreement or agreements to the United States. Payments to the United States Treasury under this section shall be covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 277d–30

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60