Tribal leaders in Arizona who spent 40 years hashing out a deal to secure their share of flows from the Colorado River are looking to end the long-running campaign in a sprint: urging lawmakers to adopt the $5 billion water rights settlement in the five weeks before the 118th Congress ends.
The Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe are banking in part on Congress’ predilection for adopting tribal water bills during lame-duck sessions, whether as stand-alone legislation or part of large packages. A review of bills adopted since 2000 shows a dozen settlements adopted between Election Day and the start of the next Congress.
But concerns raised by some Colorado River Basin states over the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement’s impact on water use and management threaten to delay the legislation to the next Congress. Seven states share the waterway, which supports 40 million individuals.
“There’s a lot of political will on both sides of the aisle. We have bipartisan support in the House and in the Senate as well. We’re really excited about this, but it’s a really challenging issue,” said Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch.
