WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, today held a hearing to examine two Indian water rights settlement bills:
The Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017, sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT); and
The Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017, sponsored by Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and co-sponsored by Senator John McCain (R-AZ).
The Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017
The Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017 intends to resolve claims between the Navajo Nation and the State of Utah regarding allocation in the San Juan River. The bill authorizes over $210 million of approved water development projects for the Navajo Nation and allocates 81,500 acre-feet per year of water from the San Juan River.
The Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017
The Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017 resolves claims of the Hualapai Nation to water allocation in the Colorado basin. It would authorize approximately $173.5 million for water development projects and reallocate 4,000 acre-feet per year of water from Central Arizona Project to the tribe.
Click here for complete witness testimony and video of the hearing.
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