Loading Map…
Introduced on March 11, 2025 by Juan Ciscomani
This bill settles long-running water rights disputes in northeastern Arizona for the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe. It sets clear shares of Colorado River water and lays out how that water can be used, stored, delivered, and, in some cases, leased or exchanged. It also builds the iiná bá – paa tuwaqat’si pipeline to bring clean, reliable drinking water to tribal communities, with ownership and day-to-day operations turned over to the tribes when sections are ready. The bill invests over $3.4 billion in tribal water projects, system upkeep, farm conservation, and renewable energy. It protects other states’ Colorado River rights and does not weaken environmental laws.
Here’s how it works in practice: Money flows into new trust funds for each tribe and becomes available once the settlement is officially in effect. The pipeline must be substantially complete by December 31, 2040, with an option to extend if the tribes and Interior agree. Once the settlement is enforceable, the tribes and the United States waive certain water-related legal claims in exchange for the benefits in the agreement. The bill also ratifies a treaty that creates a 5,400‑acre reservation for the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe within the Navajo Reservation, held in trust and with water rights.