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Assistant Secretary Larry Echo Hawk urged members of the Crow Tribe of Montana to approve a water rights settlement that was signed into law by President Barack Obama last December. Echo Hawk said the deal protects the tribe's rights to the Bighorn River and Bighorn Lake. It also provides $460 million for water projects on the reservation. “[S]peaking as the assistant secretary, this is the best deal that you’re going to get," Echo Hawk said on Thursday, The Billings Gazette reported. Tribal members will vote on the deal on March 19. Get the Story:
Federal official touts Crow water settlement benefits (The Billings Gazette 3/4) Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2009:
H.R. 3563 | S.375 Related Stories:
HCN: Crow Tribe prepares to vote on water rights settlement (2/23)
Letter: Water rights settlement betrays needs of the Crow Tribe (1/28)
Landowners from Crow Tribe rally against water rights settlement (1/27)
Crow Tribe discusses water rights settlement in advance of vote (1/21)
Crow Tribe holds a series of meetings for water rights settlement (1/12)
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)
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