The bill would approve a settlement of Navajo Nation water-rights claims in New Mexico’s Rio San José Stream System. It would recognize the Nation’s water rights, place them in federal trust, and allow the Nation to manage and lease water under set rules. It would also create a settlement fund for water supply, infrastructure, and related work, and allow an expansion of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project’s service area. The settlement would require the Nation and the United States to release certain past claims once specified conditions are met. The bill has been ordered reported favorably by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs; it is not yet law.
The bill would not change individual water rights held by allottees, and it says other tribes’ rights would not be diminished. It provides a process for certain parties to seek state-court review of Navajo Nation water-use permit decisions. No publicly available information explains how the settlement would affect a particular person or community.
The bill would provide $200.271 million for the Navajo Nation Water Rights Settlement Account and $23 million for an operations and maintenance account. These amounts would be adjusted for construction-cost changes. New Mexico would contribute $3 million, adjusted for inflation, for specified irrigation and acequia purposes, and may provide additional funding under the agreement. The bill also makes up to $15 million available early for specified planning and water infrastructure work.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.