Bill · S. 565· Senate(119-S-565)
Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 2/13/2025
- Last activity
- 3/5/2025 — Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Sponsored by
- Martin Heinrich
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill aims to settle water rights claims held by 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 parties to resolve ongoing legal adjudications. The Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to execute the agreement and provides necessary funding for its implementation. A dedicated settlement trust fund will be established to manage these funds for water infrastructure and rights. Additionally, the bill addresses the rights of individual allottees and expands the service area for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.
Yes· 3 of 8
Would Native Americans be better off under this?+8
The bill settles long-standing water rights claims and provides significant funding for Navajo Nation infrastructure.
Does this invest in rural communities?+6
The bill funds essential water production and delivery infrastructure for Navajo Nation communities.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+5
The bill expands the water supply project to serve rural communities in the Rio San Jose Basin.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Settlement of Water Rights: The bill achieves a "fair, equitable, and final settlement" of water rights claims for the Navajo Nation in the Rio San Jose Stream System and the Rio Puerco Basin (Section 2).
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Protection Against Loss of Rights: Navajo Nation water rights will not be lost due to non-use, forfeiture, or abandonment (Section 5(b)).
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Infrastructure Development: Up to $15,000,000 can be used immediately for feasibility studies, planning, and installing groundwater wells and infrastructure to meet immediate needs (Section 6(e)).
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Water Infrastructure Support: The Navajo Nation Water Rights Settlement Account can be used for constructing, repairing, or replacing water production and delivery infrastructure for domestic and municipal use (Section 6(h)).
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Expanded Water Service: 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).
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Protection for Allottees: The bill ensures that the water rights of individual Allottees are not diminished or quantified by this Act (Section 5(e)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Waiver of Legal Claims: The Navajo Nation and the United States must execute a waiver and release of various claims, including water rights claims in the Rio San Jose Stream System and claims for damages or losses that accrued up to the Enforceability Date (Section 9(a) and 9(b)).
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Restrictions on Water Rights Use: The Navajo Nation's authority to lease water rights off Navajo Lands is subject to the approval of the Secretary (Section 5(g)).
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Financial Responsibility for Infrastructure: The Navajo Nation is responsible for all costs associated with the operation, maintenance, and replacement of any projects constructed using the settlement funds (Section 6(m)).
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Limitations on Judicial Review: Judicial review of a Navajo Nation Water Use Permit decision is limited to specific standards, such as determining if a decision was arbitrary or capricious (Section 11(b)).
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+8Good For Rural Residents+5Good For Low Income Households+3
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Economic Growth+3Increases Job Creation+3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+6
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+2
- 3/5/2025
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 2/13/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico