Sponsors (3)
The bill delivers substantial, targeted funding and legally binding water-rights certainty to Ohkay Owingeh and enables restoration and infrastructure projects, at the cost of large federal expenditures, significant tribal waivers and oversight, appropriation-dependent implementation, and potential impacts on other water users.
Ohkay Owingeh tribal members gain final, legally binding certainty over Rio Chama water rights and land trust status, enabling stable water planning and ending longstanding adjudicatory uncertainty for the Pueblo.
Tribal, state, and local communities receive substantial, dedicated funding (including an immediate allocation and a Trust Fund plus a large federal appropriation) to implement bosque restoration, irrigation, water acquisitions, and infrastructure projects.
Creates a Trust Fund and administrative capacity (including a tribal water‑rights management office and ability to own projects) to support long‑term water infrastructure, management, and local control of projects built with settlement funds.
Ohkay Owingeh must waive many historic claims (including damages and certain takings claims) as a condition of the settlement, permanently limiting the Pueblo’s ability to seek further compensation for past harms.
The bill authorizes large federal spending (hundreds of millions of dollars), increasing taxpayer outlays and potentially crowding out other budget priorities or adding to deficit pressures.
Implementation depends on congressional appropriations and state actions; if funds or approvals are delayed or withheld, projects and promised benefits could be stalled with limited recourse against the United States.
Based on analysis of 22 sections of legislative text.
Ratifies a Rio Chama water-rights settlement, creates a Trust Fund seeded with $745M, protects Pueblo water rights in trust, and requires mutual waivers of prior claims.
Official title: To approve the settlement of water rights claims of Ohkay Owingeh in the Rio Chama Stream System, to restore the Bosque on Pueblo Land in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by Teresa Leger Fernandez · Last progress February 13, 2025
Authorizes and funds a comprehensive water rights settlement for the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo in the Rio Chama stream system. The bill ratifies and directs implementation of an existing settlement agreement, creates the Ohkay Owingeh Water Rights Settlement Trust Fund (with a $745,000,000 federal deposit), establishes when the settlement becomes enforceable, secures Pueblo water rights in federal trust, authorizes bosque restoration and water system improvements, and requires mutual waivers and releases of prior claims related to Rio Chama water rights. The Act sets conditions for state and local contributions, requires environmental compliance and coordination, limits permanent alienation of Pueblo water rights, allows tribal leasing under federal approval, and specifies how Trust Fund amounts may be managed and spent consistent with federal trust and investment laws.