Pechanga Water Rights Amendments

Summary#

This bill makes technical changes to the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act. It revises the statute's definition of "Reservation" to list specific lands set aside by executive orders and several dates when land was added. It also adds that the Reservation includes contiguous land held in trust on the enforceability date and contiguous land in the Santa Margarita River Watershed placed into trust after the enforceability date. The bill changes one allowable use of the Pechanga Water Quality Account from "groundwater desalination activities within the Wolf Valley Basin" to broader "activities to address water quality issues within the Wolf Valley Basin." The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to promptly execute amendments to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement to conform the agreement to these changes. The bill states that these amendments do not affect the satisfaction of conditions precedent listed in section 3407(e), do not alter the Secretary’s October 1, 2020 finding that those conditions were satisfied, and do not alter any existing water right.

What it means for you#

  • The law clarifies which parcels count as the Pechanga Reservation by naming past executive orders, specific dates when land was added, and by including certain contiguous trust lands.
  • The Water Quality Account can be used for a wider range of water quality activities in the Wolf Valley Basin, not just groundwater desalination.
  • The Interior Department is authorized to update the written settlement agreement to match these technical changes.
  • The bill says it will not change existing water rights or re-open the prior finding that settlement conditions were met.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

The bill states that the parties to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement have agreed to these amendments and that those amendments should be executed promptly by the Secretary of the Interior to conform the written agreement and exhibits to the technical changes in the statute.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.