Expedited determination of water rights in area of qualified project. [Effective through June 30, 2036.]

1. If the Executive Director of the Office determines that a qualified project is an economic development priority of the State and that an expedited determination of water rights in the area in which the qualified project is located is necessary, the Executive Director of the Office may provide notice of his or her determinations to the State Engineer. 2. Upon receipt of the notice described in subsection 1, the State Engineer may expedite action on any application for a permit to change the point of diversion, place of use or manner of use of an existing water right to which the notice pertains. 3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, if an application for a permit which is subject to the expedited process authorized by subsection 2 involves a change of the point of diversion, place of use or manner of use of an existing water right which lies within a basin that shares a unique and close hydrological connection to another basin or basins and is managed jointly as a single source and supply of water with the other basin or basins pursuant to a ruling of the State Engineer made before December 19, 2015, any action taken by the State Engineer with regard to the application or any permit issued as a result of the approval of the application is subject to protest and appeal only by a person who holds a water right in such a basin or basins or the owner of a domestic well in such a basin or basins.