New Mexico urged to fund water settlements

Wednesday, November 28, 2007  

New Mexico State Engineer John D'Antonio urged lawmakers to allocate funds for three major Indian water rights settlements.

D'Antonio said the state has to contribute at least $270 million to resolve the disputes. But delays could end up costing the state even more, he said.

The three major settlements affect the Navajo Nation, the Jicarilla Apache Nation and five Pueblo tribes in northern New Mexico. The Navajo/Apache deal is the biggest one, with a project price tag exceeding $1 billion.

The Bush administration has balked at the cost of settling the disputes.

Get the Story:
Official: Water right deals could be costly (The Santa Fe New Mexican 11/26)
Engineer: Water-rights settlements crucial (The Santa Fe New Mexican 11/27)
Native water rights by the numbers (The Santa Fe New Mexican 11/28)

Relevant Links:
New Mexico Office of the State Engineer - http://www.ose.state.nm.us

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