A view of the area affected by the Bill Williams River Water Rights Settlement Act. Photo from Freeport Minerals Corp / Planet Ranch Project Fact Sheet

The House Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing on Friday on a bill to settle a water rights dispute that affects the Hualapai Tribe of Arizona.

H.R.4924, the Bill Williams River Water Rights Settlement Act, ensures that the tribe and tribal allottees have sufficient access to water from the Big Sandy River, a tributary of the Bill Williams River. The bill resolves a dispute that arose involving a a mining operation.

Witnesses from the tribe, the state of Arizona and the mining company affecting by the dispute testified in favor of the bill. But Bureau of Indian Affairs Director Mike Black said the Obama administration can't support it unless concerns about a waiver of sovereign immunity are addressed.

Get the Story:
House panel asked to approve water-rights deal for Hualapai, Freeport (Cronkite News Service 9/22)

Committee Notice:
Legislative Hearing on H.R. 4924 (September 19, 2014)

Related Stories:
House subcommittee to hold hearing on bill for Hualapai Tribe (9/17)
Arizona delegation supports Hualapai Tribe settlement measure (07/10)
Audio from Senate Indian Affairs Committee's hearing on five bills (7/9)
Witness list for Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on bills (7/7)
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs plans four hearings in July (06/30)