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Pueblo of Zuni
A welcome sign at the Pueblo of Zuni in New Mexico. Photo: Ken Lund
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs takes up water rights at legislative hearing
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Indianz.Com

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is taking testimony this week on tribal water rights and natural resource legislation.

Five bills are on the agenda for the legislative hearing on Wednesday afternoon. They follow:

• S.4444, the Crow Revenue Act. The bill would transfer about 4,660 acres of subsurface rights to the Crow Tribe in exchange for other lands and subsurface rights in Montana.

• S.4633, the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024. The bill settles the water rights of the Hopi Tribe, the Navajo Nation and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe on the main stem of the Colorado River, the Little Colorado River and relevant groundwater sources in northeastern Arizona.

• S.4643, the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024. The bill settles the water rights of the Pueblo of Zuni in New Mexico and authorizes $685 million in federal funding to support the tribe’s water resources, including Zuni Salt Lake, a sacred place.

• S.4705, the Yavapai Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement Act. The bill settles the water rights of the Yavapai-Apache Nation in the Verde River Watershed of Arizona.

• S.4998, the Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024. The bill settles the water rights of the Navajo Nation to the Rio San José Stream System in New Mexico.

The four water bills on the agenda have companion versions in the U.S. House of Representatives. The House Committee on Natural Resources took testimony on the legislation at a well-attended hearing on July 23.

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing takes place in Room 628 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building. It immediately follows a business meeting on pending legislation at 2:30pm Eastern.

The witness list follows:

PANEL 1
The Honorable Bryan Newland
Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs
Department of the Interior
Washington, D.C.

The Honorable Frank White Clay
Chairman
Crow Tribe
Crow Agency, Montana

The Honorable Buu Nygren
President
Navajo Nation
Window Rock, Arizona

The Honorable Timothy L. Nuvangyaoma
Chairman
Hopi Tribe
Kykotsmovi, Arizona

The Honorable Johnny Lehi, Jr.
Vice President
San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe
Tuba City, Arizona

The Honorable Arden Kucate
Governor
Zuni Tribe
Zuni, New Mexico

The Honorable Tanya Lewis
Chairwoman
Yavapai-Apache Nation
Camp Verde, Arizona

A livestream will be available on indian.senate.gov.

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Notice
Legislative Hearing to receive testimony on S. 4444, S. 4633, S. 4643, S. 4705 & S. 4998 and Business Meeting to consider S. 465, S. 2908, S. 4370 (September 25, 2024)
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