Crow Tribe holds a series of meetings for water rights settlement

Wednesday, January 12, 2011  

The Crow Tribe of Montana is holding a series of meetings to discuss a water rights settlement that President Barack Obama signed into law last month.

Current and former tribal leaders support the $460 million deal. But final approval is required by the membership.

"I was able to witness those historic times, in terms of how this process went, knowing full well at the end of this road would be the Crow people." Chairman Cedric Black Eagle said at the first meeting on Tuesday, The Billings Gazette reported. "That they would — you would — have the final say. That's how it was written into the federal legislation."

The remainder of the meetings take place from January 12-February 15. The referendum on the settlement is scheduled for March 8.

Get the Story:
Crow Tribe discusses water settlement bill (The Billings Gazette 1/12)

Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2009:
H.R. 3563 | S.375

Related Stories:
Crow Tribe to celebrate settlement of water rights at NMAI in DC (12/10)
Claims Settlement Act authorizes $460M Crow water settlement (12/1)
Senate passes water rights settlements for tribes in three states (11/22)
Letter: Members of Crow Tribe should vote against water rights (10/6)
Crow Chairman: Water settlement in tribe's best interests (4/2)
Opinion: Water bill hurts landowners on Crow Reservation (3/29)
Crow Tribe's water rights settlement advances (9/11)
Crow Tribe near deal on water rights settlement (08/03)