Bill · H.R. 1324· House(119-HR-1324)
Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 2/13/2025
- Last activity
- 2/13/2025 — Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Sponsored by
- Teresa Leger Fernandez
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill aims to settle water rights claims of the Navajo Nation within the Rio San Jose Stream System in New Mexico. It ratifies a specific agreement between the Navajo Nation, the State of New Mexico, and other involved parties. The Act establishes the Navajo Nation Rio San Jose Settlement Trust Fund to manage and distribute necessary funds. It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to execute the agreement and take necessary actions for implementation. Additionally, the legislation provides specific funding for water rights settlements and infrastructure.
Yes
Would Native Americans be better off under this?+9
The bill provides significant funding and permanent water rights protections for the Navajo Nation.
Does this invest in rural communities?+7
The bill funds water production, treatment, and delivery infrastructure for the Navajo Nation.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Settlement of Water Rights Claims: The bill achieves a fair, equitable, and final settlement of water rights claims for the Navajo Nation in the Rio San Jose Stream System (Section 2).
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Protection Against Loss of Water Rights: The Navajo Nation's water rights are protected from being lost due to non-use, forfeiture, or abandonment (Section 5).
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Infrastructure Development: Funds can be used for the planning, design, and construction of water production, treatment, and delivery infrastructure to serve domestic and municipal needs (Section 6).
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Immediate Water Needs Support: Up to $15,000,000 is available for the installation of groundwater wells and infrastructure to meet immediate domestic, commercial, and municipal needs on Navajo Lands (Section 6).
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Expansion of Water Supply: The Navajo Nation is authorized to expand the service area of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project to deliver water to communities within the Rio San Jose Basin (Section 14).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Waiver of Legal Claims: The Navajo Nation and the United States must execute waivers and releases of various water rights claims and damages that accrued up to the Enforceability Date (Section 9).
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Limitation on Water Rights Uses: The use of the Navajo Nation's water rights is subject to specific terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement and this Act (Section 5).
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Restriction on Allotment Rights: While protecting certain rights, the Act specifies that the Navajo Nation's water rights do not include any interest that the Nation may have in certain Allotments (Section 3).
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Financial Responsibility for Infrastructure: The Navajo Nation is responsible for all costs related to the operation, maintenance, and replacement of projects constructed using the trust funds (Section 6).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Native Americans+9
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+7
- 2/14/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/13/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Melanie StansburyDemocrat · New Mexico
Gabe VasquezDemocrat · New Mexico