Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on 12 bills related to Indian water rights and settlements. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Today's hearing was an important chance for us to discuss Indian water rights settlements across the west and work towards peaceful negotiation rather than unnecessary litigation. I'd like to thank the numerous witnesses for their insightful testimony today and my colleagues for their hard work on the legislation we discussed."

Background

HR. 7240, the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), approves the Montana-Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Compact, which is a result of negotiations regarding the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes with the United States regarding the tribes' water rights. 

H.R. 8791, the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), includes identical language to H.R. 7240 and adds a provision authorizing appropriations for the Secretary of the Interior to develop a wastewater treatment facility for the benefit of the Blackfeet Tribe.

H.R. 8920, the Tule River Tribe Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Vince Fong (R-Calif.), approves and authorizes a water settlement agreement between the Tule River Tribe and downstream state-based water users, the Tule River Association, and the South Tule Independent Ditch Company. 

H.R. 8940, the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), settles the water rights claims of the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe in Arizona.

H.R. 8949, the Yavapai-Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), authorizes the settlement agreement for the Yavapai-Apache Nation in Arizona. The settlement requires the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to plan, design, and construct a water infrastructure project comprising two components: the Cragin-Verde Pipeline Project and the Yavapai-Apache Nation Drinking Water System Project.

H.R. 8953, the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), amends the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to ensure that the Tribe has the necessary flexibility and time to deliver clean water to communities on the reservation and complete critical energy development projects.

H.R. 1304, the Rio San José and Rio Jemez Water Settlements Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), authorizes the Secretary to sign two separate water rights settlement agreements that impact four Pueblo chapters in Northern New Mexico.

H.R. 3977, the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), amends the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act authorized as part of the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009. 

H.R. 6599, the Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), amends the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 and the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 to authorize funding for the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund, the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund and the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos’ Fund equivalent to the amounts that would have accrued to the trust funds if the Department of the Interior had the authority to invest the fund’s original appropriation.

H.R. 8685, the Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), approves the settlement agreement concerning the water rights claims of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo in the general stream adjudication of the Rio Chama Stream System in New Mexico for uses including livestock, commercial, industrial, municipal and irrigation. 

H.R. 8945, the Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), settles all the Navajo Nation water rights claims in the Rio San José Basin in New Mexico. Additionally, this agreement describes and quantifies water rights for the Navajo Nation in the Rio Puerco Basin.

H.R. 8951, the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), authorizes the Secretary to sign the fund-based water rights settlement agreement to settle claims and litigation between the Pueblo of Zuni, the United States and the state of New Mexico.