Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025

Summary

Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 This bill recognizes and settles certain water rights claims in Arizona of the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe. It also provides funding for a water pipeline and three settlement trust funds.  Specifically, the bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms a specified water rights settlement agreement entered into by the tribes, the United States, Arizona, and others, thus satisfying claims to water rights in Arizona (including with respect to the Little Colorado River and the Colorado River). Additionally, the bill outlines the water rights of the tribes. For example, the bill allocates and assigns Colorado River water from Arizona's share to the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe. The bill establishes and provides funding for an implementation fund account for the Bureau of Reclamation to plan, design, and construct a pipeline to deliver water to the tribes. Further, the bill establishes and provides funding for the Navajo Nation Water Settlement Trust Fund, the Hopi Tribe Water Settlement Trust Fund, and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe Water Settlement Trust Fund. The bill also establishes a reservation consisting of approximately 5,400 acres of land in Arizona and Utah for the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe by ratifying and confirming the treaty entered into by the Navajo Nation and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe. The bill outlines waivers, releases, and retention of claims by the tribes and the United States under the settlement agreement.

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Timeline

1. 11 March 2025

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 11 March 2025

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 11 March 2026

   Committee

   Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

2 official files

• Introduced in Senate

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 11 March 2025

  DownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 11 March 2025

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ] · D · Sponsor
• · slia00 · Other

Related records

• related to → Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025