By Lauren Lifke
New Mexico’s congressional delegation has called for Senate and House leaders to take steps toward completing tribal water settlements.
The U.S. pursues a policy of settling tribal water rights disputes whenever possible, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The settlements are intended to help secure tribal rights to historic land, as well as permanent access to clean and reliable water supplies.
On Sept. 4, Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján and Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández, Melanie Stansbury and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) signed a bipartisan letter urging Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to prioritize the passage of six acts that would help settle water rights for tribes in New Mexico.
- The Rio San José and Rio Jemez Water Rights Settlements Act would implement two fund-based water settlements: one for the Pueblos of Jemez and Zia, and another for the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna
- The Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act would establish a trust fund to implement settlements in the Rio Chama Basin.
- The Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act would allocate money toward a trust for sustainable water management that would protect the Zuni Salt Lake.
- The Navajo Nation Rio San José Water Rights Settlement Act would approve the water rights settlement for the Navajo Nation.
- The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act would amend the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project to ensure it has proper resources and time.
- The Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act would authorize millions toward three water resources development funds for the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo and Nambé, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque Pueblos.
The New Mexico delegation reintroduced the six bills in February after first introducing them in 2023 and 2024.
“Completion of these settlements will save taxpayers millions of dollars, provide water access and certainty to Tribal and non-Tribal water users across the West, avoid years of protracted and costly litigation, and support the United States’ trust responsibility to Tribes,” the letter reads.
Heinrich and Leger Fernandez led the letter, along with Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont). Montana republicans Sen. Tim Sheehy and Rep. Troy Downing also signed the letter.