Authorizes and funds a negotiated settlement that resolves the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh’s Rio Chama water-rights claims by creating a federal trust for Pueblo water rights and establishing a $745,000,000 (adjustable) trust fund plus State contributions to implement agreed projects. The Act ratifies and directs federal implementation of a multi-party Agreement, protects Pueblo water rights from forfeiture, sets rules for leasing and use, requires waivers/releases of many past claims in exchange for the settlement, and conditions enforceability on a set of procedural steps including court approval, deposit of funds, State law changes, and executed releases.
Updated 4 hours ago
Last progress February 13, 2025 (1 year ago)
Last progress February 13, 2025 (1 year ago)
Introduced on February 13, 2025 by Teresa Leger Fernandez
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.