43 U.S.C. § 1600g: Priority of laws

Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to alter, amend, repeal, modify, interpret, or be in conflict with the provisions of the Colorado River Compact ( 45 Stat. 1057 ), the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact ( 63 Stat. 31 ), the Water Treaty of 1944 with the United Mexican States (Treaty Series 944, 59 Stat. 1219 ), the Flood Control Act of 1944 ( 58 Stat. 887 ), the decree entered by the Supreme Court of the United States in Arizona v. California, and others (376 U.S. 340), the Boulder Canyon Project Act ( 45 Stat. 1057 ) [ 43 U.S.C. 617 et seq.], the Boulder Canyon Project Adjustment Act ( 54 Stat. 774 ; 43 U.S.C. 618a ) [ 43 U.S.C. 618 et seq.], the Colorado River Storage Project Act ( 70 Stat. 105 ; 43 U.S.C. 620 ) [ 43 U.S.C. 620 et seq.], the Colorado River Basin Project Act ( 82 Stat. 885 ; 43 U.S.C. 1501 ) [ 43 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.]. Furthermore, nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed as indicating an intent on the part of the Congress to change the existing relationship of other Federal laws to the law of a State, or a political subdivision of a State, or to relieve any person of any obligation imposed by any law of any State, tribe, or political subdivision of a State. No provision of this chapter shall be construed to invalidate any provision of State, tribal, or local law unless there is a direct conflict between such provision and the law of the State, or political subdivision of the State or tribe, so that the two cannot be reconciled or consistently stand together. Inconsistencies shall be reviewed by the task force, and the task force shall make recommendations concerning such local laws. This chapter shall in no way be interpreted to interfere with a State’s or tribe’s right to protect, rehabilitate, preserve, and restore lands within its established boundary.